The St. Mary’s County Government’s Department of Public Works is collecting telephone directories for recycling. The local phone book distribution cycle typically runs from Oct.1 through March 31. They may be mixed with other recyclables, i.e. newspapers, magazines, mixed paper and co-mingled  beverage containers as part of the “Single Stream” recycling program located at the six (6) County Convenience Centers including Charlotte Hall, St. Andrew’s, Ridge, Clements, Valley Lee and Oakville.

Approximately 75,000 new telephone directories will be distributed throughout the county this year. Paper products comprise the largest percentage of the County’s waste stream by weight, and collecting telephone books will help keep this reusable resource out of the landfill.  Old telephone books can be made into ceiling tiles, pizza cartons, comic books and even new phone books!

For more information, call the Department of Public Works at (301) 863-8400 or visit the County website at www.stmarysmd.com