Say 'No' to Phonebooks
Wednesday October 14, 2009
The council has launched a national ‘Say No To Phonebooks’ campaign in a bid to cut down the amount of time and money it costs to dispose of unwanted phone directories.
H&F estimates that it costs £22,700 a year to get rid of unwanted phonebooks and has teamed up with 192.com to call on the government to establish a centralised opt-in system.
The council believes that most residents would rather use an online directory than a bulky and heavy book. With 70 per cent of homes in the UK now having access to the Internet, research from 192.com’s revealed that 82 per cent of people had used an online directory in the last year. Online directories are typically updated daily (not yearly). They provide richer information such as maps and they are much more friendly to the environment.
Councillor Greg Smith, Cabinet Member for Crime & Street Scene, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham says “It costs taxpayers more than £22,700 a year to pay for the clear up of the waste created by phonebooks in our borough. If we could reduce the number delivered in the first place it could represent significant cost savings for hard-pressed council taxpayers. It’s also the fastest way to clear up the mess caused by these unwanted phonebooks left on doorsteps. We are encouraging all our residents to recycle, so it is only fair that we make sure they are not send huge books that they simply do not want.”
Dominic Blackburn, Product Director, 192.com says: “The research shows how out of touch the phonebook delivery system is with environmental considerations and people’s concerns. The government long ago legislated against the delivery of unwanted junk mail but has chosen to turn a blind eye to the weightiest junk mail of all. It even obliges BT to deliver a phonebook to every one of their customers.”
Consumers and businesses can make a stand against the unnecessary waste of resources used in the production of phonebooks by signing the e-petition on the Downing St website: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoPhonebooks/ (opens new window). Campaign supporters can also follow activity on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Find out more at www.saynotophonebooks.org (opens new window).
