Waste

For the 12th consecutive year, the Postal Service was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as its WasteWise Partner of the Year in 2010. All postal districts continued participation in the program by reducing or recycling municipal solid waste and selected industrial wastes. The Postal Service generates more than 400,000 tons of solid waste every year, much of which is sold to recycling companies, which generates revenue and lowers GHG emissions.

The Postal Service is working to reduce waste sent to landfills by 50 percent by 2015. Zero-waste practices have been expanded to a growing number of postal facilities. All paper, cardboard, plastic, and metals at those sites are either eliminated or re-used, not sent to landfills.