Sponsored recyclers
Maisie Redhead and Robert Stephenson
As members of a project concerned with recycling and waste reduction, it disheartens us to know that old telephone directories are not accepted by waste paper merchants because of their glued spines. It is not economically viable for the merchants to remove the spines, but as a fund-raising sponsored activity it would certainly be more valuable than walking around a cycle track, for instance.
'It is not economically viable for the merchants to remove the spines of telephone directories, but as a fund-raising sponsored activity it would certainly be more valuable than walking around a cycle track'
Many current recycling schemes are used by only a fraction of the population, whilst other possible schemes remain uneconomic. But sponsored events such as the above would overcome the economic problem; would raise funds for a worthy cause; would obtain publicity for the great need for waste reduction schemes; and would help ensure the regular supply of materials and thus encourage capital investment in recycling initiatives.
Maisie Redhead and Robert Stephenson, 9 King's Drive, Hassocks, W. Sussex BN6 8DZ.
Editorial comment
I am favour of all sponsored activity being of a socially useful variety. But the French approach of subsidising the public to acquire home computer access to directory enquiries (and a large range of other Prestel-like services) would in the long run use less resources than printing and distributing directories, however much they are recycled. In the meantime, British Telecom should have a box on their bills that the customer can tick if no telephone directories are required for that number. Houses or businesses with several lines often simply throw away the extra new directories left on the doorstep for them.
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