[Anonymous]

USPS Pilot Program Offers Free Mail-in Electronics Recycling
Pilot program in 10 cities and 1,500 Post offices nationwide could see use across the country
Many
in America understand the need to recycle things like cans, glass and
paper to keep it from our landfills and reduce our need for natural
resources. However, many fail to think of recycling when it comes time
to get rid of old electronics.The United States Postal Service (USPS)
has a new program to allow the recycling of used electronics and ink
cartridges free of charge. The postage for the program, which is
currently being piloted in 1,500 post offices across the country, is
paid for by Clover Technologies Group.Clover is a company that recycles
remakes and resells ink cartridges, laser toner cartridges and small
electronics. The program will allow consumers to send in items like
BlackBerry’s, MP3 players, PDAs and digital cameras for recycle free of
charge.

Clover
has a zero landfill policy and recycles or reuses every device or
cartridge returned without throwing anything away. Annita Bizzotto,
chief marketing officer and executive vice president of the USPS said
in a statement, “It was this philosophy [zero landfill] that won Clover
the contract with the Postal Service, besting 19 other companies.”The
USPS says that the free, postage-paid envelopes can be found on
displays in Post Office lobbies and that there are no limits on the
amount of envelopes customers can take. The pilot program includes
1,500 Post Offices in ten areas across the country. The areas include
Washington D.C., Chicago, LA and San Diego. Postal officials say that
if the program is successful in the pilot areas, the program will be
rolled out nationwide.This is a noble attempt by the U.S. government to
try and curb the amount of electronics that end up in our landfills or
that is shipped overseas for disposal. DailyTech reported in November
of 2007 that the U.S. ships in the area of 300,000 tons of tech trash
overseas each year.

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
“Mail Back” 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 “zero waste to
landfill” policy: it does everything it can to avoid contributing any
materials to the nation’s landfills.It was this philosophy that won
Clover the contract with the Postal Service, besting 19 other
companies, said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer and executive
vice president for the Postal Service.“As one of the nation’s leading
corporate citizens, the Postal Service is committed to environmental
stewardship,” Bizzotto said. “This program is one more way the Postal
Service is empowering consumers to go green.”

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 takeThe 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.The
Postal Service recycles 1 million tons of paper, plastic and other
materials annually. Last year, USPS generated more than $7.5 million in
savings through recycling and waste prevention programs. The nation’s
environmental watchdog, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
awarded the Postal Service eight WasteWise Partner of the Year awards,
the agency’s top honor.The Mail Back program is another example of the
Postal Service’s commitment to sustainability. USPS is the only
shipping or mailing company in the nation to receive Cradle to CradleSM
Certification from MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry) for
human and environmental health. More than half a billion packages and
envelopes provided by the Postal Service annually are nearly 100
percent recyclable and are produced with the least harmful materials.
Based on the recycled content of these envelopes and packages, more
than 15,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions (climate change
gases) now are prevented annually.“We know our customers are interested
in real solutions for proper disposal of personal electronics,”
Bizzotto said. “Everyone from consumers to businesses to non-profit
organizations use the mail, and the Postal Service works to manage
resources wisely to minimize environmental impact.”

[Author]

March 19, 2008 at 12:01 PM