San Francisco first to ban unsolicited delivery of Yellow Pages phone book

By: Barry Leibowitz
Topics: Daily Blotter

Phone books displayed in the back of a pickup truck during a press conference in San Francisco, Calif., Feb. 1, 2011

/ Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) SAN FRANCISCO - With more of us letting our fingers do the walking online, San Francisco has banned the unsolicited distribution of the Yellow Pages phone book.

The law is scheduled to take effect next year and will bar companies from leaving unsolicited Yellow Pages books on porches without the permission of the residence or business.

It's the first such ordinance in the nation.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Mayor Ed Lee quietly signed the ban into law on May 19 to cut the number of unwanted phone books being dropped into city neighborhoods.

David Chiu, president of the city's Board of Supervisors, said the ban was needed because the unsolicited books degraded the environment and blighted neighborhoods.

The Local Search Association, a commercial phone book industry trade group, has threatened to sue, saying the ban violates its members' rights.

Seattle passed an ordinance last year that created a registry that allows residents to opt-out of receiving the books. A federal judge this month upheld the ordinance after a challenge from publishers.

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by KyleLam May 28, 2011 12:00 PM EDT: Props to David Chiu for getting this passed through the Board of Supervisors. I've been very impressed with his leadership in the last few months. Keep up the good work!; Reply to this comment


by Imthaid2 May 28, 2011 1:43 AM EDT: "Let your fingers do the walking"...on the internet.; Reply to this comment


by Harden_Tar May 27, 2011 11:14 AM EDT: Finally! San Francisco does something with common sense. I totally agree. Who the heck needs a 5 pound block of paper unless you are using it to hold up the end of the couch. As long as you can get one if you ask for one. The problem is the people that make money bullying small businesses into buying ads no one ever sees are going to get paid a whole lot less. Don't worry though, I am sure SF will come with some program or the other to take care of them.; Reply to this comment


by pjhnsn8 May 27, 2011 10:46 AM EDT: This is a great idea. We get two companies "Yellow pages" and "Big Books" they go straight from my porch to the recycle dumpster. They never make it into the house. These are a waste. I feel sorry for the small businesses that buy adds to these books.; Reply to this comment