To protect the health and safety of our customers and our employees, the Postal Service™ has developed specific procedures for safeguarding, identifying, handling, and delivering hazardous materials (HAZMAT). Due to several incidents of non-mailable HAZMAT in the mailstream, November has been designated as HAZMAT Awareness Month to highlight those efforts.
The renewed focus comes at a time when an increase in anticipated mail volumes could potentially lead to an increase in HAZMAT incidents — such as fires from lithium batteries exceeding the 100-watt hour limit, mercury or corrosive liquid spills, or undeclared HAZMAT found in the mail stream with markings that do not match contents.
Targeted communications in the coming month will reinforce awareness of current USPS® HAZMAT policies and procedures including the following:
n Poster 298, Domestic Hazardous Materials-Warning Labels and Markings (see below)
n Poster 37, Is Your Package Safe to Mail? (see below)
n Poster 702, Prohibited Goods Warning Labels (see below)
n Poster 81, Shipping Reused Boxes (see below)
n Poster 318, Civil Penalties, Mailing Hazardous Material (see below)
n Promotion of HAZMAT Awareness Month in targeted channels, such as the Postal Bulletin and USPS Link.
As peak season begins, we ask customers and employees alike to be even more diligent in keeping unmailable HAZMAT out of the Postal network.
All posters can be found at blue.usps.gov/cpim/posters.htm.
— Retail and Post Office Operations, 11-27-25
