The United States Postal Service® is one of the early founding members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) WasteWise Program and was the first federal agency to be inducted into the WasteWise Hall of Fame. WasteWise is a voluntary partnership sponsored by USEPA that helps organizations and businesses apply sustainable materials management practices to:
n Achieve cost savings,
n Improve efficiency, and
n Reduce their climate footprint through waste reduction.
Partners commit to developing or improving their waste prevention and recycling programs, and incorporating sustainable materials management into their waste-handling processes.
The Northeast Area (joined in 1997) and the Alabama District (joined in 1999) were the first two Postal Service™ members of WasteWise; both achieved notable success with reducing waste and increasing recycling. After receiving six consecutive WasteWise Federal Partner of the Year Awards, the Northeast Area was inducted into the WasteWise Hall of Fame in 2005. They were the first federal agency to receive this honor.
The Alabama District received five Federal Partner of the Year Awards, and was inducted into the WasteWise Hall of Fame in 2008. That same year, the Postal Service became the first federal agency to join the program nationwide, including all USPS® areas, districts, and facilities. After a decade, the Postal Service remains an agencywide WasteWise member committed to reducing waste and creating a more sustainable future.
Since 2014, the Postal Service has diverted over 2.7 million tons of waste from landfills through its waste reduction and recycling efforts. That same year, the Postal Service became the first federal agency to sign up on a nationwide basis for the Federal Green Challenge, a new national initiative under the EPA‘s sustainable materials management program. The Federal Green Challenge encourages federal agencies throughout the country to lead by example in reducing their environmental impact. Federal offices participate by focusing on two of these six areas:
n Waste,
n Electronics,
n Purchasing,
n Energy,
n Water, or
n Transportation.
Participating agencies report on their progress annually, and must achieve at least 5 percent improvement in their areas of focus each year.
Both the WasteWise and Federal Green Challenge programs have become a mainstay in the arena of environmental stewardship and continue to evolve to address tomorrow’s environmental needs. The Postal Service understands the importance of building a more sustainable business today to remain competitive and relevant into the future.
— Office of Sustainability,
Deputy Postmaster General, 12-5-19
