Waste mountain of phone books
All 01 (Dublin) volumes (9lbs the pair) would weigh about 6,800 tonnes.
Other area volumes were smaller, so the likely total weight was, about 5,000 tonnes. Half of that - maybe more - is waste.
I contacted the Department of the Environment’s ENFO section. Their website says their “primary function is to provide easy public access to wide ranging and authoritative information on all aspects of the environment, etc”.
ENFO said I was on my own on this, so I rang Eircom attempting to explain that I didn’t want the phone directory or Golden Pages annually. I was told it had “nothing to do with them”.
Eircom insist that these tomes cost me nothing, yet additional copies are sold at €6 each (2003 prices) and the CD (phone directory and Golden Pages combined) at €68. They told me to contact Golden Pages. They didn’t want to know either, so I had another 9lbs of waste paper delivered to my doorstep recently. I then wrote to Golden Pages, the secretary of the Department of the Environment, etc., indicating that I was not prepared to pay for waste production and its disposal.
I asked how I could have these directories collected by Eircom or Golden Pages, get a refund of what I’m charged for them, and stop further deliveries only if, and when, required.
Many would now opt for the CD version, which should cost a fraction of the paper version. Alternatively, people can use the 11911 enquiry number or the web version could be consulted at local call cost. I repeated the email on October 27, and again on November 23.
Eircom informed me on November 2 that my complaint had been forwarded to Golden Pages. I’ve got no response from them. I hope readers who feel as I do will also pursue this issue.
John Fitzgibbon
46 Woodlands
Dún Laoghaire
Co Dublin
