Transcript Recycling & Zero Waste
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Achieving Zero Waste: A Greening the Mail Initiative
Presented by Ronald Robbins
Co-Chair, Improving Mail Recyclability and Source Reduction Subcommittee, Greening the Mail Task Force Colchester, VT PCC Workshop September 17,2008
Overview
The Vision of Zero Waste How do We achieve it?
Customer Focused Zero Waste
Source Reduction
Waste Reduction Discarded Lobby Mail Recycling The Backhaul Concept & Contracts Greenhouse Gas Implications Conclusions
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The Vision of Zero Waste
A Zero Waste strategy improves upon "cleaner production" and "pollution prevention" strategies by providing a visionary endpoint that leads us to take larger, more innovative steps.
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Two Basic Sub-Strategies:
Source Reduction: Reducing “Undeliverable as Addressed” (UAA) Mail
Waste Reduction: Recycling 100% of All Waste (incl. UAA and DLM Mail)
Managing Waste as a Commodity
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How Do we Achieve Zero Waste?
Start with a Vision of Sustainability
Inventory Major USPS Solid Waste Streams
Show Market Opportunities for Commodity Sales
Leverage Strategies that minimize waste sorting
Work with Mailers to Reduce UAA Mail and
Right Understanding Leads to Right Action
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Know your Costs and Market Opportunities For more ideas see: www.zerowaste.org
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Customer Focused Zero Waste
Zero Waste Extends to Our Customers
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1 st Reduce Costs of UAA Mail (Source Reduction … everyone benefits)
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All Mail is Recyclable USPS Northeast Area provides Lobby Recycling
Serves as the Model for the National Rollout of Lobby Recycling
Provides Solution Where Community Program Does not Recycle Mail
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Impact Of Undeliverable –As-Addressed (UAA) Customer Focused Zero Waste – Source Reduction FY04-FY08 UAA Volumes / Costs FY04 FY08 Vol (Billions) Cost (Millions) Vol (Billions) Cost (Millions) Unit Cost
Forwarding 1.985
$ 422 1.789
$ 326 $ .18
Return-To-Sender 1.603
Waste 6.135
Other
Total
$ 822 $ 270 $ 343 1.436
6.851
$ 727 $ 365 $ 221 9.7 $ 1,856 10.1
$ 1,639 $ .51
$ .05
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Strategic Transformation Plan Customer Focused Zero Waste – Source Reduction Postal Service™ Goal To Cut Cost Of Processing Undeliverable-As-Addressed (UAA) Mail In Half By 2010 High-Quality Addressing — Current, Correct, And Complete
Improve List Quality Manage Change-of-Address Success Depends Upon Mailers And Postal Service Working Together To Achieve The Goal!
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Moving Customers And The Mail Customer Focused Zero Waste – Source Reduction Each Year, Approximately 16% Of The American Population Moves Or Changes Their Mailing Address USPS Permanent Change-of-Address Orders Each Year ® Processes Over 43 Million Number One Reason Why Mail Is Undeliverable-As-Addressed
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68% Of UAA Related To Customer Moves
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Move Update Requirement Coming Changes Customer Focused Zero Waste – Source Reduction New Move Update Requirements Scheduled For Implementation In November 2008 Federal Register Announcement Published September 28, 2007:
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Standard Mail Added Frequency Changed To Every 95 Days Same Options Available For Compliance With Move Update Requirement
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Alternative Method Not Allowed For Standard Mail
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Move Update Methods
NCOA Link ® (Change-of-Address) FASTforward
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ACS ™ – Address Change Service Intelligent Mail
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– OneCode ACS
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Ancillary Service Endorsements Alternative Methods
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www.usps.com/ncsc
For More Information
www.ribbs.usps.gov
Customer Support
1-800-238-3150
Customer Focused Zero Waste – Waste Reduction Economics of Zero Waste ($/ton) Waste Wood Mixed Paper Cardboard Plastic Metal Aluminum* Lead* Copper* Value as Waste Value as a Commodity -$120 -$120 0 $85 -$120 -$120 -$120 -$120 -$4,000 -$120 $140 $200 $220 $2,580 $2,400 $7,880 Benefit of Zero Waste $120 $205 $260 $320 $340 $2,700 $6,400 $8,000 For Metal Market Values See: http://www.metalprices.com/#
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Customer Focused Zero Waste – Waste Reduction Turning Waste into A Commodity
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Baled & Shredded Undeliverable Mail: Increases Value & Prevents Identify Theft
Customer Focused Zero Waste – Waste Reduction Discarded Lobby Mail Recycling
Discarded Lobby Mail Recycling Goals:
● Increase USPS revenue through the sale of
recyclable materials
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Decrease USPS solid waste disposal costs
through increased recycling
● Enhance the public image of the USPS and
practice Corporate Social Responsibility
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Internal Program Drivers
Management Commitment
● Overall Total Costs of Handling UAA Mail ● $365 million in 2008 Our Recycling Revenue goal is $40 million by 2010 ● Discarded Lobby Mail is also an enormous solid waste disposal cost 15.6 Million Post Office Boxes in the USA Each Post Office Box generates 77 pounds of standard mail per year – rule of thumb for determining DLM waste volumes 15
External Program Drivers
Heightened Public Visibility
● Public & congressional concerns with recycling of mail GAO audit of USPS recycling program ● USPS is most trusted federal agency in America Enables USPS to Recycle Discarded Mail ● Our actions have synergistic impacts on recycling in the Direct Marketing industry and among consumers 16
Analysis of Discarded Lobby Mail Generation
15.6 Million Post Office Boxes generate the following volumes of Discarded Lobby Mail; Nationwide, an estimate 604,566 tons of DLM was generated in FY07 An estimated 356,694 tons of DLM was discarded in USPS Lobbies in FY07*
*Source: Calculations derived from 2006 Household Diary Study; 2007 Postmaster General’s Annual Report and; USPS National Delivery Statistics website
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Discarded Lobby Mail: Key Elements
Postmaster Commitment ● ● But Employees are the key to success A District Recycling Plan; Creates “buy in” Standard Box Customer Notice Backhauling Infrastructure Standard Blue Recycling Containers ● Identifies Acceptable Mixed Paper types. 18
Discarded Lobby Mail Container Conventional Recycle Logo USPS Recycle Message
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USPS SOAR Logo – Saving of America’s Resources
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Northeast Area DLM Recycling 2007 FINDINGS
7,175 tons of DLM recycled in 2007
● 93% of Area’s 3,200 Retail facilities Participate
DLM Recycling generated $292,000
● Substantially reduced Retail trash and waste disposal costs 21
NORTHEAST AREA
Recycling Contracts November 2008 New Hampshire
030-038
Vermont 054,056-059 Albany 120-123,128-139
Western New York
140-149 J.C. Fibers Solvay Paperboard Connecticut
060-069
Goodman & Sons Maine
039-049
Massachusetts
010-019,055
Boston 021-022 Amerisouth Recycling Southeastern New England 020,023-029
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Willimantic Waste Paper
Nearly 9/10th ths of a Billion Pounds Recycled Aluminum, 6,248,799 Tires, 4,534,245 Mixed Plastics, 1,230,368 Other Ferrous Metals, 44,999,772 Mercury Lamps, 381,963 Electronic Equipment, 137,334 Miscellaneous (glass, textile), 179,586 Wood, 29,145,612 Cardboard, 91,073,100 Mixed Paper, 694,911,340
USPS Northeast Area Ten Year Summary: 1997 to 2006 23
MTCE = Metric Ton Carbon Equivalent 2006: USPS Northeast Area GHG Reductions
Plastic Paper Metals Other
Paper, 68,171 Metals, 513 Other, 569 85,203 MTCE This is equivalent to the elimination of 35,823,424 gallons of gasoline Plastic, 15,591
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USPS Northeast Area Carbon Footprint
Recycling & Waste prevention offset Delivery Fleet Greenhouse Gas Emissions The Annual Carbon Calculus GHG MTCE 85,203 IMPACT CREDIT USPS NEA Recycling/Prevention Impact USPS NEA Delivery Fleet Emissions NET IMPACT (Carbon Benefit) 84,787 DEBIT 416 NEUTRAL MTCE = Metric Tons Carbon Equivalent Source:
EPA Warm Model Calculations: 2008 25
Conclusions
Leadership Creates Zero Waste Vision
● Continual Improvement essential ● Team work, Contracts, Vehicles, Plans & tracking system are key to success
Long Term Sustainable Program
● Increase mailer usage of Move Update Programs, especially the Intelligent Mail Barcode Program ● Establish nationwide Recycling Infrastructure
Strategic Commitment to Recycling
● Consistent with USPS Sustainability & Climate Change Initiatives ● Program Expansion aimed at meeting Customer’s needs 26
Conclusions
“You can help reduce waste at the source by taking advantage of USPS products and services that improve address quality and the USPS will do it’s best to make the mailing industry sustainable, now and in the future”
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