Expedited Mail/Package Services, 2000 Recycling Symposium Proceedings

Michael R. Barr--The Postal Service annually purchases more than $160 million worth of products with recycled content.1 This clearly establishes it as a leader, in both the federal government and the private sector, in environmentally preferable purchasing. Environmentally preferable purchasing is a critical element in successful pollution prevention and recycling programs, and is in keeping with our commitment to foster the sustainable use of natural resources by promoting pollution prevention, reducing waste, recycling, and reusing materials. It has been actively pursuing this policy for environmental protection for several years. The Postal Service is committed to voluntarily meeting the requirements of Executive Order 13101, Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition, which directs the federal government executive agencies to use natural resources efficiently by maximizing recycling and preventing waste wherever possible. The Executive order is consistent with the Pollution and Prevention Act of 1990; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, which encourages the maximum attainable recycling of depletable resources; and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, which authorizes states and localities to establish plans and programs for managing solid waste. It is also consistent with Executive Order 12856, Federal Compliance with Right-to-Know Laws and Prevention Requirements. In 1998 the Alliance for Environmental Innovation cited the Postal Service as a leader in environmental packaging among overnight service providers. It has been reported that customers of overnight shipping companies use over one billion of these envelopes and boxes annually, including the boxes and envelopes provided by shippers for second-day or later deliveries.2 The Postal Service purchased approximately $39 million in FY97 and $42 million in FY98 in expedited packaging products.3