Lamar Advertising Company Goes Green

Leading the Outdoor Industry by Using 100 Percent Recyclable Materials for Billboards

Baton Rouge, LA (Vocus/PRWeb) July 18, 2008 -- Lamar Advertising Company (Nasdaq: LAMR), a leading owner and operator of outdoor advertising and logo sign displays, is establishing a new, eco-friendly industry standard by initiating the use of 100-percent recyclable materials for outdoor advertising. By converting exclusively to the use of single-sheet posters, a 100-percent recyclable polyethylene (PE) printing substrate, on its more than 60,000 poster-paper advertising structures, Lamar becomes the first and only outdoor company to transition completely from the use of paper to recyclable materials.

The use by Lamar of this new, revolutionary product will begin immediately and will replace 1,400 tons of non-recyclable, glue-on poster paper. The potential for the use of single-sheet posters industry-wide is the replacement of an additional 1,600 tons of non-recyclable paper. A recycling program is also being initiated by Lamar to organize the collection, recycling and re-use of the new PE materials.            

These sweeping moves follow Lamar’s highly successful, three-year project to develop the line of recyclable printing substrates, and comes on the heels of the recent announcement by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America that as of March 1, 2009, the outdoor industry will no longer accept paper posters. Printers currently able to provide printing for the new PE substrate are Circle Graphics www.circlegraphicsonline.com, Ink Jet International www.inkjetintl.com, Vincent Printing www.vincentprinting.com, Associated Posters www.associatedposters.com, and Lamar Graphics www.lamargraphics.com.

To further enhance environmental sustainability, Lamar also is working to convert its laminated PVC bulletin billboards to a 100-percent fully recyclable PE. In addition, they are initiating the conversion of all four-lamp billboard lighting fixtures to AdVue Lighting Fixtures, using computer-controlled reflectors and prism designs to reduce energy use by 50 percent.

For more information, call Lamar Advertising Company at (850) 433-0024.

MEDIA NOTE: For more information about Lamar Advertising Company or its green initiative, contact Robert Switzer, vice president of operations, (850) 433-0024 or bswitzer@lamar.com.

Founded in 1902, Lamar, one of the nation’s largest providers of out-of-home advertising, currently operates more than 150 outdoor advertising companies in more than 40 states and Puerto Rico. Lamar has more than 70 transit franchises reaching driving audiences across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico through billboards, digital billboards, bus shelters, benches and buses. In addition, Lamar is the nation’s leader in the highway logo sign business, with operations in 19 states and the province of Ontario, Canada.

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