USPS Enters Recycling Business
Free and green. Those are the goals of a pilot program launched
today by the U.S. Postal Service that allows customers to recycle small
electronics and inkjet cartridges by mailing them free of charge.
The
“Mail Back” program helps consumers make more environmentally friendly
choices, making it easier for customers to discard used or obsolete
small electronics in an environmentally responsible way. Customers use
free envelopes found in 1,500 Post Offices to mail back inkjet
cartridges, PDAs, Blackberries, digital cameras, iPods and MP3 players
– without having to pay for postage.
Postage is paid
for by Clover Technologies Group, a nationally recognized company that
recycles, remanufactures and remarkets inkjet cartridges, laser
cartridges and small electronics. If the electronic item or cartridges
cannot be refurbished and resold, its component parts are reused to
refurbish other items, or the parts are broken down further and the
materials are recycled. Clover Technologies Group has a “zero waste to
landfill” policy: it does everything it can to avoid contributing any
materials to the nation’s landfills.
It was this
philosophy that won Clover the contract with the Postal Service,
besting 19 other companies, said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing
officer and executive vice president for the Postal Service.
“As
one of the nation’s leading corporate citizens, the Postal Service is
committed to environmental stewardship,” Bizzotto said. “This program
is one more way the Postal Service is empowering consumers to go green.”
The
free, postage-paid Mail Back envelopes can be found on displays in Post
Office lobbies. There is no limit to the number of envelopes customers
may take.
The pilot is set for 10 areas across the
country, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San
Diego, but could become a national program this fall if the pilot
program proves successful.
The Postal Service
recycles 1 million tons of paper, plastic and other materials annually.
Last year, USPS generated more than $7.5 million in savings through
recycling and waste prevention programs. The nation’s environmental
watchdog, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the
Postal Service eight WasteWise Partner of the Year awards, the agency’s
top honor.
The Mail Back program is another example
of the Postal Service’s commitment to sustainability. USPS is the only
shipping or mailing company in the nation to receive Cradle to CradleSM
Certification from MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry) for
human and environmental health. More than half a billion packages and
envelopes provided by the Postal Service annually are nearly 100
percent recyclable and are produced with the least harmful materials.
Based on the recycled content of these envelopes and packages, more
than 15,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions (climate change
gases) now are prevented annually.
“We know our
customers are interested in real solutions for proper disposal of
personal electronics,” Bizzotto said. “Everyone from consumers to
businesses to non-profit organizations use the mail, and the Postal
Service works to manage resources wisely to minimize environmental
impact.”