BISBEE- As part of Cochise County’s efforts to increase recycling efforts, county officials want to track just how many residents want to contribute these efforts by tracking recycled phone books.

Cochise County’s telephone book recycling tracking program began Monday and continues through Feb. 18.

By focusing on the recycling of one item, such as phone books, the county can track numbers. Marty Haverty, the county’s solid waste management director said those numbers can be used as a gauge as he gets ready to work with a new citizens recycling committee and an environmental consultant to develop recycling programs that will meet the needs of the residents.

Despite efforts by individual cities to recycle used telephone directories, more than four times the amount collected in recycling gets dumped into the county landfill each year. For every 500 phone books recycled consider the following savings statistics:

• 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space

• 25 trees (average)

• 4,100 kilowatts of electricity (or enough power to serve an average home for 6 months)

• 7,000 gallons of water

Haverty said the scope of the program in 2008 will be two-fold. “One to measure our resident’s interest in recycling, and two to promote product stewardship to manufacturers to improve recycling and waste reduction of their products,” he said.

Qwest has partnered with communities within the county, and this year the company is attempting to coordinate a larger effort and offer the program countywide.

Recycled phone books will be used to manufacture new phone books, insulation for houses, mulch for gardens and other paper products.

Drop-off points

Used phone books can be taken to any one of the 13 Cochise County transfer stations or the Western Regional Landfill in Whetstone. The transfer stations are in Benson, Bisbee, Douglas, Sierra Vista, Willcox, Bowie, Double Adobe, Dragoon, Elfrida, San Simon, St. David, Sunsites and Tombstone.

The quantity of books recycled will be recorded and used to develop recycling programs countywide in the next year. If you have any questions regarding participation in the event please call, 432-9751.