To promote Earth Day and the USPS® Green commitment, all facilities must separate out electronic equipment and batteries from their waste stream to ensure these items are recycled. As a matter of law, almost all electronic equipment is considered hazardous waste under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “contained in rule” when electronic equipment contains toxic metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. These toxic metals are found in a variety of handheld and stationary electronic equipment. Similarly, lamps which contain mercury, such as fluorescent lamps, are also considered hazardous and must be recycled.
Facility managers and postmasters are urged to use Notice 890-A to inform custodians and employees of eWaste that should not be placed in trash compactors or dumpsters. Notice 890-A is an 8-½ by 11-inch self-adhesive label printed on synthetic film that adheres to USPS-owned compactors and dumpsters. This notice can also be installed on leased compactors and dumpsters with prior approval of the vendor. The success of USPS’ recycling program depends upon employee awareness, and Notice 890-A increases employee awareness of recycling requirements for certain highly regulated waste streams, including some waste streams that are valuable commodities in the marketplace.
If your facility is not currently recycling plastic, you should investigate opportunities to do so, since this waste represents 32 percent of the total waste in a typical Postal Service™ facility. Even if your facility is not recycling plastic, you are requested to post Notice 890-A on the compactor or dumpster, and cover over the words “plastic shrink wrap and strap” with a peel-off label. Once you begin recycling plastic, you can remove the peel-off label. The Postal Service can make significant reductions in its solid waste disposal costs if employees and customers recycle. Notice 890-A is also intended to reinforce the efforts of facilities aiming to achieve “zero waste” by 2015.
Facility managers and postmasters should use the eBuy online catalog requisition system to order Notice 890-A from the MDC. Search for items using the PSN 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 registration before placing your first order). For 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 Notice 890-A:
PSIN: NOT 890A
PSN: 7690-13-000-5381
Unit of Measure: EA
Minimum Order Quantity: 1
Bulk Pack Quantity: N/A
Quick Pick Number: N/A
Price: $0.00
Edition Date: 03/12
