NEW SERVICE FROM THE USPS THAT IS WORTH LOOKING IN TO.
- SARAH REIDY
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SARAH MCCREA REIDY
MANAGER, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
POPULATION ACTION INTERNATIONAL
(202) 557-3453 DIRECT LINE
HTTP://WWW.POPULATIONACTION.ORG
SREIDY%40POPACT.ORG">SREIDY
POPACT.ORG
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE GOES GREEN WITH FREE MAIL-IN RECYCLING SERVICE FOR ELECTRONICS HTTP://BLOGS.TECHREPUBLIC.COM.COM/HINER/?P=613&TAG=NL.E019
IN 10 METRO AREAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE HAS LAUNCHED A NEW PILOT PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SUBMIT OLD INKJET CARTRIDGES, TONER CARTRIDGES, AND SMALL ELECTRONICS FOR PROPER DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING VIA FREE PRE-PAID MAILERS THAT CUSTOMERS CAN PICK UP AT POST OFFICE BRANCHES. IF THE PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL, IT COULD BE EXPANDED NATIONWIDE BY THIS FALL. THE POSTAL SERVICE IS ACTING AS THE ADMINISTRATOR AND DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR THE PROGRAM. THE YEOMAN€™S WORK IS BEING HANDLED BY CLOVER TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, WHICH PAYS FOR ALL OF THE SHIPPING COSTS AND HANDLES OF THE DISPOSAL, RECYCLING, AND REFURBISHING OF THE TECHNOLOGIES. THE SMALL ELECTRONICS THAT CAN BE SUBMITTED INCLUDE PDAS, SMARTPHONES, STANDARD CELLPHONES, DIGITAL CAMERAS, AND MP3 PLAYERS. CLOVER HAS A €śZERO WASTE TO LANDFILL€ť POLICY. IT FIRST TRIES TO REFURBISH AND RESELL ITEMS THAT ARE STILL USEFUL. IF THAT€™S NOT POSSIBLE, THEN THE ITEM IS BROKEN DOWN AND THE COMPONENT PARTS ARE USED TO REFURBISH OTHER PRODUCTS. ANY MATERIALS THAT ARE LEFT OVER ARE THEN RECYCLED. THAT APPROACH IS WHY CLOVER BEAT OUT 19 OTHER BIDDERS FOR THE CONTRACT, ACCORDING TO BIZZOTTO. LARGE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS OFTEN PARTNER WITH A BIG LOCAL RECYCLER THAT REGULARLY PICKS UP OLD EQUIPMENT, BUT SMALL OFFICES TYPICALLY HAVE A DO-IT-YOURSELF APPROACH THAT INVOLVES SOMEONE ON THE STAFF DOING DROP-OFFS AT LOCAL RECYCLING CENTERS. THERE IS ONE OTHER ITEM THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE: BATTERIES. IN MY EXPERIENCE, THERE ARE TOO FEW WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS THAT PROCESS BATTERIES AND THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT STILL THROW THEM IN LANDFILLS. SENDING BATTERIES THROUGH THE MAIL PROBABLY WOULDN€™T BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL FOR LEAKAGE, BUT MAKING POST OFFICE BRANCHES A CENTRAL LOCATION FOR BATTERY DROP-OFF WOULD BE A GREAT SOLUTION. THE BATTERIES COULD THEN BE PROPERLY SHIPPED IN BULK FROM THE BRANCHES.
HTTP://WWW.USPS.COM/COMMUNICATIONS/NEWSROOM/2008/PR08_028.HTM FREE RECYCLING THROUGH THE MAIL
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE STARTS SERVICE IN 1,500 POST OFFICES WASHINGTON, DC €”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 €śMAIL BACK€ť 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 €śZERO WASTE TO LANDFILL€ť POLICY: IT DOES EVERYTHING IT CAN TO AVOID CONTRIBUTING ANY MATERIALS TO THE NATION€™S LANDFILLS.
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.
€śWE KNOW OUR CUSTOMERS ARE INTERESTED IN REAL SOLUTIONS FOR PROPER DISPOSAL OF PERSONAL ELECTRONICS,€ť BIZZOTTO SAID. €śEVERYONE FROM CONSUMERS TO BUSINESSES TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS USE THE MAIL, AND THE POSTAL SERVICE WORKS TO MANAGE RESOURCES WISELY TO MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.€ť
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