Singapore uses anti-stick paint against illegal billboards

Singapore is using an anti-stick paint to prevent illegal advertisements at train stations, along roads and on pillars and lamp posts.

The land transport authority has floated a tender to apply the solution at 367 locations on the island by 2017 after learning that anti-stick paint is effective in tackling the problem, reports Xinhua.

The tender is for a clear coating that can be applied on glass or plastic.

It is illegal to paste advertisements, which range in size from Post-It notes to A4, at undesignated places such as subway stations, pillars and lamp posts.

They also leave unsightly stains after being removed, especially when strong adhesives are used.

The authority began a trial of anti-stick paint in 2009 at a sheltered linkway leading to a strain station.

It was a success. Since then, the anti-stick paint has been applied at 252 locations. The authority previously said that the move would help it save about $80,000 a year in cleaning-up costs.

The latest tender will expand the coverage to most of the places from where the complaints about such advertisements are common.

The authority has also introduced 27 notice boards since 2010 at 21 subway stations with heavy pedestrian traffic. It costs 50 cents a day to put up an A5-size advertisement.

A spokesman of the land transport authority said there were fewer illegal advertisements at areas which have notice boards and anti-stick paint.

"These initiatives together with regular enforcement and public education have been effective in preventing the pasting of illegal advertisements on streets," he added.

The transport regulator levied 248 fines for pasting illegal advertisements from January to September, compared to 454 last year and 674 in 2011.