America Recycles Day, November 15, 2012, marks our recommitment to the reduction of waste and a concerted effort to increase the recycling of the wide range of recyclable materials we generate in our normal operations. This issue of the Postal Bulletin features articles on how you can reduce the amount of solid waste that is disposed in landfills and help the Postal Service™ achieve its zero waste goals. Thousands of tons of perfectly recyclable materials are thrown away annually, costing the Postal Service over $49 million in disposal costs. By increasing the recycling efforts of the Postal Service, we strengthen our commitment under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal Green Challenge. The Federal Green Challenge gives the Postal Service the ability to demonstrate innovative approaches to reducing our agency’s environmental footprint. The Postal Service has the opportunity to be recognized under this program for our efforts in implementing the sustainability goal of diverting 50 percent of our waste from landfills.
In Fiscal Year 2012, we asked each of you to adopt the Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal Green Challenge with the objective of recycling 50 percent of your solid waste by the year 2015. We know this goal is achievable because collectively we recycled approximately 45 percent of our Postal Service solid waste in FY 2011. We can meet this 2015 recycling goal if each of us makes a special effort to increase the amount of waste we divert into recycling bins. Please adopt one or more strategies to reduce your facility’s waste by 10 percent or more as described in the accompanying articles in this issue of the Postal Bulletin.
Taking on this challenge helps reach our long-term zero waste goal. Zero waste is not an impossible dream. We are encouraged by the remarkable recycling accomplishments of nine vehicle maintenance facilities and nine processing and distribution center pilot sites in all seven areas that collectively demonstrated that nearly all Postal Service wastes are recyclable. In FY 2010, these 18 facilities were early adopters of the Federal Green Challenge and proved that nearly 90 percent of their waste stream could be recycled. Moreover, in FY 2012, thanks to the efforts of Leo Brenot, facility recycling coordinator for the Toledo Processing and Distribution Facility, and his fellow employees, that facility now recycles 95 percent of its waste stream. Thanks to these discretionary efforts, the Postal Service generated nearly $24 million in FY 2012 — an unprecedented achievement given the recent decline in mail volume and substantial declines in the market value of paper and cardboard.
We urge you to personally adopt one or more waste reduction initiatives in Fiscal Year 2013 and set a goal of recycling 50 percent or more of your waste stream. To learn about other recycling opportunities visit the Office of Sustainability web site: http://blue.usps.gov/sustainability/.
We also encourage you to take an America Recycles Day pledge and commit to recycling one or more items that you currently toss in the trash. To take the voluntary one-minute online pledge, go to: https://www.research.net/s/AmericaRecyclesDay.
By integrating sustainable practices into the everyday activities of our organization, we can create a conservation culture that is good for our business and good for the environment.
Thomas G. Day
Chief Sustainability Officer
America Recycles Day — Take the Pledge!
Removing Plastic From Bundles
On America Recycles Day, November 15, you can pledge to recycle a wide variety of items. Your commitment will help to increase the nation’s recycling from a landfill diversion rate of 34 percent to 50 percent or more. The Postal Service is committed to recycling, not only because it makes business sense, but because it is the right thing to do.
We encourage each of you to take the one-minute online recycling pledge.
n If you are not currently recycling, consider adopting the recycling habit.
n If you are already recycling, you can learn how to recycle items that you thought were not worth saving.
Because of the world’s diminishing resources, the cheapest way to “mine” for new resources is often from the “urban jungles” rather than from the Earth itself.
Would you like to take the America Recycles Day pledge? (If you are a craft employee, you must obtain permission from your supervisor.)
Click this link: https://www.research.net/s/AmericaRecyclesDay
. You will be able to:
n Choose from over a dozen recycling options.
n See pledge results from other Postal Service employees across the nation.
Help make our planet more sustainable by taking the pledge!
Ten Things You Can Do to Reduce Waste by 10 Percent or More
Discarded Mail in Chute
On America Recycles Day, November 15, you can demonstrate your personal commitment to reducing waste and increasing recycling of the wide range of recyclable materials we generate in our normal operations.
To achieve the goal of recycling 50 percent of Postal Service waste, every Postmaster, station and branch manager, plant manager, and vehicle maintenance manager should identify one or more strategies to reduce waste. Here are 10 ideas to consider. Pick one or more and make a commitment to reduce your facility waste by 10 percent in Fiscal Year 2013. For further information on these and many other ideas, go to the Office of Sustainability website at http://blue.usps.gov/sustainability/.
1. Recycle Cans and Bottles. Recycle all your cans and bottles and reduce your waste by 7 percent.
2. Initiate a Discarded Lobby Mail (DLM) Program. Post Offices™ that offer a DLM recycling program can reduce facility waste by 10 percent or more, especially if they notify PO Box™ customers about the program. To increase awareness, use Poster 615, Read, Respond, Recycle Your Mail, and Notice 180, Lobby Recycling Postcard, a postcard designed to remind PO Box customers to recycle their mail. You can order these awareness tools at no cost at: http://blue.usps.gov/sustainability/earthday/ordering_green_supplies.htm.
3. Recycle Plastic Wrap. If you recycle the plastic wrap from carrier cases, you can reduce up to 32 percent of your facility’s waste stream.
4. Recycle Used Batteries. Recycling used batteries can reduce your facility’s waste stream by up to 1 percent. More importantly, batteries are considered a type of hazardous waste, known as universal waste, that must be recycled.
5. Recycle Cardboard. Recycling cardboard reduces your waste stream by 9 percent (if you are not currently recycling it).
6. Create a Composting Bin to Reduce Food Waste. This reduces waste by as much as 17 percent and creates black gold, a valuable way to enrich your soil. If you want to adopt innovative approaches to achieve zero waste, consider composting as a key step in that process.
7. Locate and Label Recycling Bins Properly. Ensure that recycling containers are located near recycling activities and that the contents are properly labeled. Doing this can reduce waste from 5 percent to 50 percent, as long as employees know how and where to recycle.
8. Anticipate Holiday Waste. Place recycling bins in mail processing facility workrooms to capture plastic, cardboard, and mixed waste generated in high volumes during the holiday season. This could reduce waste by 10 percent.
9. Recycle eWaste. Recycle your electronic equipment, known as eWaste. This reduces waste by as much as one-half of 1 percent.
10. Purchase Recycled-Content Products. “If you are not buying recycled-content products, you are not recycling.” The market for recycling requires not only a supply of recyclable materials, but also a demand for recycled-content products. Further, it is consistent with buying American products.
Sources
1. Postal Service solid waste data from the Office of Sustainability, October 2012.
2. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States, Tables and Figures for 2010, December 2011, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, at: http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/2010_MSW_Tables_and_Figures_508.pdf
The Federal Green Challenge
Carrier Recycling Plastic Wrap
The Federal Green Challenge is a national initiative under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Sustainable Materials Management Program that challenges federal agencies nationwide to lead by example in reducing the federal government’s environmental impact.
Federal agencies start the challenge by choosing a focus in waste, electronics, or purchasing green products. Then they chose a second focus area from one of these: energy, water, or transportation. Members commit to improving by at least 5 percent per year in their two focus areas.
Why Is the Federal Green Challenge Important?
The Postal Service can reduce its environmental footprint and fulfill its responsibilities under Executive Order (EO) 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, and EO 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management.
By implementing the Federal Green Challenge, the Postal Service will:
n Lead by example.
n Demonstrate innovative techniques.
n Be recognized for environmental leadership.
What Is the Postal Service Doing?
As a charter member of the EPA’s Federal Green Challenge, the Postal Service is the only federal agency to make a corporate-wide commitment to the challenge. Every Post Office™ in America has been tasked with increasing its recycling levels by 5 percent over last year’s performance.
Our commitment to these goals is founded on the sustainability practices of our employees, who demonstrate their support for recycling and pollution prevention every day.
The Postal Service is committed to meeting the EO goals of diverting 50 percent of its solid waste from landfills by the year 2015. To achieve that objective, the Postal Service is committed to increasing facility-level recycling by 5 percent in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. A secondary goal is to increase the purchase of products with recycled content.
In FY 2011, the Postal Service:
n Purchased over $288 million worth of products with recycled content, making it one of the nation’s largest supporters of the recycling industry.
n Recycled more than 215,000 tons of solid waste, which generated over $24 million in revenue and over $14 million in avoided landfill costs.
What Are the Benefits of Participation?
These accomplishments benefit the Postal Service and also provide environmental and economic benefits to all Americans by:
n Creating recycling jobs.
n Reducing energy consumption.
n Reducing greenhouse gases.
For more information about the Postal Service’s Federal Green Challenge program, contact sustainability@usps.gov.
Recycling Achievements in Fiscal Year 2012
Automating the Collection of Mixed Paper Generates Increased Revenue
Despite a lackluster market for recyclables in the marketplace and a wide range of other competing organizational priorities, in Fiscal Year 2012 Postal Service employees have done a remarkable job of recycling a wide range of waste materials. During the last 12 months, postmasters have taken up the Federal Green Challenge with the aim of reducing solid waste disposal and increasing our overall rate of recycling. Here are some of the major accomplishments from last year.
Opportunities to Improve Recycling Performance. In Fiscal Year 2012, the Office of Sustainability completed waste audits at nine processing and distribution centers and facilities located in each of the seven Postal Service areas. The results were striking:
n 87 percent of the material found in the trash was recyclable.
n 68 percent of the waste found in Postal Service dumpsters was made up of these three items:
n Cardboard, 9 percent.
n Paper, 27 percent.
n Plastic, 32 percent.
Clearly we have the opportunity to improve our performance simply by reminding our fellow employees that these materials are recyclable.
Value of Materials Disposed of in the Trash. Not recycling is no longer an option. The market value of paper, cardboard, plastics, and metals is high. Even in a slightly depressed market, mixed paper is still being sold for $51 a ton, sorted office paper sells for $171 a ton, cardboard sells for $83 a ton, and clean plastic sells for up to $400 a ton. Throwing these materials in the trash is throwing money away. With the help of the Facilities Services Category Management Center, Postal Service facilities are using market-based pricing to ensure that field recycling efforts capture the highest possible commodity value.
Employee Recycling Performance. The Office of Sustainability conducted a nationwide employee survey of green practices during the spring of 2012. The survey, encompassing the views of over 17,000 employees with access to computers, revealed the extent of recycling by Postal Service employees:
These results clearly show that a substantial commitment to paper recycling exists, but a great opportunity remains to improve the recycling of plastic and metals — two waste streams that have the potential to reduce solid waste disposal costs and simultaneously increase recycling revenue.
Using Reverse Logistics to Expand Recycling. During the last three years, the Postal Service has expanded its recycling revenue from less than $5M in FY 2010 to $23.8M in FY 2012. The primary reason for this remarkable improvement in revenue is the expansion of the number and size of Postal Service facilities serving as hubs for collecting recyclables from retail facilities. In FY 2009, there were only 175 Postal Service facilities that functioned as hub collection centers for recyclables generated at retail facilities. By the end of FY 2012, there were 303 Postal Service facilities serving as hub collection centers.
Consolidating recyclable materials — especially undeliverable standard mail, discarded lobby mail, cardboard and plastic — transforms low-value commodities into high-value commodities by eliminating vendor transportation costs. Currently, over 12,000 Post Offices are participating in reverse logistics recycling initiatives, a 100 percent improvement over FY 2008 participation levels. Almost all of these 12,000 offices are offering their PO Box customers secure discarded lobby mail recycling. There were less than 4,000 offices offering lobby recycling in FY 2008. Postmasters have more than tripled lobby recycling participation levels compared to FY 2008!
Recycling Revenue per Delivery Point. How can we compare the recycling performance of one district with 5 million delivery points to another that may have 1 million? The Office of Sustainability has adopted a new metric to measure revenue generated from recycling by delivery point. This metric standardizes comparison of district recycling revenue across the nation. In FY 2012, the Northern New England district topped the nation by generating over 50 cents in recycling revenue for every one of the 1,284,864 delivery points in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Five other districts — Nevada-Sierra, Northern Virginia, Arizona, Albany, and Capital — achieved or exceeded the FY 2012 goal of 32 cents in recycling revenue per delivery point. If all districts could achieve Northern New England’s performance, the Postal Service could generate over $63 million in recycling revenue.
Recycling Revenue per Delivery Point: FY 2012
#
|
Area
|
District
|
Recycling Revenue*
|
Deliveries
|
Revenue/ Delivery Point
|
1
|
Northeast
|
Northern New England
|
$647,976
|
1,284,864
|
$0.5043
|
2
|
Western
|
Nevada-Sierra
|
$503,896
|
1,144,910
|
$0.4401
|
3
|
Capital Metro
|
Northern Virginia
|
$395,874
|
1,014,925
|
$0.3901
|
4
|
Western
|
Arizona
|
$1,269,441
|
3,341,777
|
$0.3799
|
5
|
Northeast
|
Albany
|
$406,257
|
1,228,798
|
$0.3306
|
6
|
Capital Metro
|
Capital
|
$387,120
|
1,197,719
|
$0.3232
|
7
|
Southern
|
Houston
|
$832,108
|
2,805,863
|
$0.2966
|
8
|
Southern
|
Dallas
|
$664,780
|
2,291,759
|
$0.2901
|
9
|
Southern
|
South Florida
|
$789,344
|
2,835,516
|
$0.2784
|
10
|
Southern
|
Suncoast
|
$1,176,439
|
4,357,711
|
$0.2700
|
*Note: Revenue is derived from Account Indicator Code (AIC) 149, which covers revenue from recycling paper and plastic, and AIC 156, which covers revenue from recycling scrap metals.
|
Zero Waste Performance. During FY 2012, 56 Postal Service facilities made a commitment to zero waste by ordering Poster 890-B, Reduce it! This is a Zero Waste Site. These facilities join dozens of other retail offices that have already achieved zero waste by adopting recycling as their standard procedure for waste management. The most noteworthy zero waste achievement of FY 2012 was that of the Toledo Processing and Distribution Facility. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the employees at the Toledo Plant, the Toledo Customer Service Team, and Leo Brenot, the facility recycling coordinator, this facility now recycles at least 95 percent of its solid waste.
Use Slim Jims — Secured Lobby Recycling Containers
To promote the USPS® Green commitment, Post Offices are encouraged to participate in the Post Office Box lobby recycling program. Your PO Box™ customers can recycle their mail in specially designed, secured recycling containers that the Postal Service™ has deployed to more than 11,000 Post Offices having PO Box lobbies nationwide. These secure containers carry the message, “Read, Respond, Recycle Your Mail.”
The Postal Service can make significant reductions in its solid waste disposal costs if customers recycle their mail after they have finished with it. By offering customers the opportunity to recycle their mail right in the lobby, USPS can also play an important role in meeting customers’ environmental expectations. Now is a very good time to renew our customer’s participation in USPS recycling and sustainability programs. Once you have ordered these containers, you are required to take an online survey to confirm how the containers have been deployed. Take the online survey by going to the following web address:
http://blue.usps.gov/sustainability/earthday/ordering_green_supplies.htm and clicking Take the Recycling Implementation Survey. Containers are offered on a first-come first-served basis while supplies last.
Affected postmasters should use the eBuy on-catalog requisition system to order the “Slim Jim” secure recycling containers from the MDC. Search for items using the PSN number listed below (without the dashes). If your office doesn’t have access to eBuy, order using touch-tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-273-1509.
Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.) For complete TTOE ordering instructions, visit the Materials Customer Service website at http://blue.usps.gov/purchase/_doc/ops_ttoeins.doc or call 800-332-0317, option 4, option 4.
Use the following information to order Slim Jims: Order containers based on the rule of thumb that one container serves up to 500 active Post Office™ Boxes. If two containers are needed (i.e., Slim Jim Double), order PSN 4250-15-000-0664. If three containers are needed (i.e., Slim Jim Single and Slim Jim Double), order the single and double container. The maximum order is limited to three containers.
Single
Description: CONTAINER, RECYCLED LOBBY MAIL, 23 GL W/LOCKING LID (QTY = 1 EA)
PSN: 4250-12-000-7649
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Bulk Pack Quantity: 1
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
Double
Description: CONTAINER, RECYCLED LOBBY MAIL, 23 GL W/LOCKING LID (QTY = 2 EA)
PSN: 4250-15-000-0664
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 2
Bulk Pack Quantity: 2
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
Slim Jims Replacement Parts
Where we already offer PO Box customers mail recycling in specially designed secured recycling containers, we are now offering replacement parts for broken locks and lids. The replacement parts are for the 23-gallon “Slim Jim” container that carries the message, “Read, Respond, Recycle Your Mail.”
If any of your equipment needs to be replaced, we are now offering the secure lid with lock or the lock at no cost while supplies last.
Affected postmasters should use the eBuy on-catalog requisition system to order these items for repairing secured recycling containers from the MDC. Search for items using the PSN number listed here (without the dashes). If your office doesn’t have access to eBuy, order using touch-tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-273-1509.
Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.) For complete TTOE ordering instructions, visit the Materials Customer Service website at http://blue.usps.gov/purchase/_doc/ops_ttoeins.doc or call 800-332-0317, option 4, option 4.
Use the following information to order replacement parts:
Description: LID, RECYCLING CONTAINER SPARE W/LOCK AND 2 KEYS
PSN: 4250-15-000-0667
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Bulk Pack Quantity: 1
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
Description: LOCK, RECYCLING CONTAINER SPARE W/2 KEYS
PSN: 5340-15-000-0668
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Bulk Pack Quantity: N/A
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
Encourage Recycling in Your Facility — Order Recycling Containers for Mixed Paper
The Postal Service™ can reduce its solid waste disposal costs significantly by recycling mixed paper. Your facility can become an active participant in the Postal Service’s Federal Green Challenge by increasing the amount of mixed paper that is recycled.
The Office of Sustainability is offering — at no cost — specially designed, 23-gallon, blue plastic containers for Postal Service facilities that are ready to recycle mixed paper. The blue containers carry the message, “Mixed Paper Only.” They should be used to collect mixed paper for recycling purposes only.
Post Offices™ and other retail facilities may order one container for each 10 carrier routes. For example, a facility with 20 carrier routes may order two blue containers. Plants, vehicle maintenance facilities, and other administrative offices may order one container for up to 50 employees. Supplies are limited, and orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Use the eBuy on-catalog requisition system to order blue containers from the Material Distribution Center. Search for items using the PSN number listed here (without the dashes). If your office does not have access to eBuy, order using touch-tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-273-1509.
Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800–332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.) For complete TTOE ordering instructions, see the document at http://blue.usps.gov/purchase/_doc/ops_ttoeins.doc or call 800–332-0317, option 4, option 4.
Use the following information to order the blue recycling containers:
Blue Single (one container per package)
PSN: 4250-16-000-8496
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Bulk Pack Quantity: N/A
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
Blue Double (two containers per package)
PSN: 4250-16-000-8497
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 2
Bulk Pack Quantity: N/A
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
Encourage Recycling — Order Recycling Containers for Plastic Wrap
The Postal Service™ can reduce its solid waste disposal costs significantly by recycling plastic. Your facility can become an active participant in the Postal Service’s Federal Green Challenge by increasing the amount of plastic stretch wrap and shrink wrap that is recycled.
The Office of Sustainability is providing — at no cost — specially designed, 23-gallon, green plastic containers for Postal Service facilities that are ready to recycle plastic waste. The green containers carry the message, “Plastic Wrap Only.” They should be used to collect plastic wrap for recycling purposes only.
Post Offices™ and other retail facilities may order one container for each 10 carrier routes. For example, a facility with 20 carrier routes may order two green containers. Other facilities may order one container for each mail induction station that generates plastic waste. Supplies are limited, and orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Use the eBuy on-catalog requisition system to order the green containers from the Material Distribution Center. Search for items using the PSN number listed here (without dashes). If your office does not have access to eBuy, order using touch-tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-273-1509.
Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800–332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.) For complete TTOE ordering instructions, see the document at http://blue.usps.gov/purchase/_doc/ops_ttoeins.doc or call 800–332-0317, option 4, option 4.
Use the following information to order the green recycling containers:
Green Single (One container per package)
PSN: 4250-16-000-8494
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Bulk Pack Quantity: N/A
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
Green Double (Two containers per package)
PSN: 4250-16-000-8495
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 2
Bulk Pack Quantity: N/A
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: N/A
— Sustainability,
Deputy Postmaster General, 11-15-12
