
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 3, 1990                   TAG: 9004030719
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: TRACY VAN MOORLEHEM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NEW TELEPHONE BOOKS PROMOTE RECYCLING

Timeless they are not. Most phone books are outdated before the ink is dry, even though C&P telephone tries to keep up with the challenges of American mobility by issuing yearly editions of the book.

This year's volume is due any day at your door. The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co. last Thursday began distribution of 170,000 new directories to the Roanoke Valley area. And bringing in the new means taking out the old.

In an effort to minimize this waste, C&P reminds customers that telephone directories are recyclable. "C&P is requesting that everyone be aware of the efforts of our local governments to promote recycling," C&P Manager Don Reid said.

The Clean Valley Council of Roanoke is working with Kroger and Cycle Systems to make recycling of telephone books more accessible. Specially marked containers have been placed at all Kroger stores where they will remain until April 20, Reid said.

Area Boy Scouts will also be collecting, "so if you know a Scout you might want to check there first. This is a worthwhile community project that can involve everyone and will eliminate a large amount of material from our landfills," Reid said.

This is the third year that C&P has promoted recycling. In the past two years it placed Clean Valley fliers in the directories, but was concerned that the flyers had a limited effect. So this year it added a page in the directory for that purpose, Reid said.

Some major businesses were inadvertently left out of the last edition, but Reid says that so far he has not received any complaint calls. "We think we have corrected the problem. Those businesses that were left out last year were handled manually to assure that we didn't repeat the deletions."

This year's directory again provides consumer information pages to help customers use their services, Reid said. In addition, C&P has added a "Telephone Safety" message to the Consumer Information Section, outlining situations when customers should be careful using the telephone, such as while in a bathtub, shower, swimming pool, or during an electrical storm.

The cover features a color photograph of the new terminal at the Roanoke Regional Airport.

Reid is requesting that customers do not call if they have not received directories until after April 17, when delivery is scheduled to end. After that time, customers may call 561-1000 for residential service and 561-2000 for business service to obtain directories.

by CNB