| November 18, 2002
News Release King County played a major role in the development of new U.S. Postal Service regulations that make it easier for post offices to donate undelivered product samples and magazines to food banks and homeless shelters. The Postal Service estimated that it is left with up to 164,000 tons of undelivered product samples every year. The new regulations will make it much easier for these product samples and other undelivered items -- food, toothpaste, shampoo, diapers and many other items -- to be distributed to people who need them instead of becoming waste. "King County is proud of its work with the Postal Service to develop new regulations aimed at reducing some of the waste from undelivered mail," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "This regulation is an excellent example of what we can accomplish by working together - through an effort to reduce waste we are also helping those in need." The National Waste Prevention Coalition, which is coordinated through the King County Solid Waste Division, worked closely with the Postal Service to make the changes a reality. Division staff wrote the first draft of the proposed regulations, solicited input from around the nation and worked directly with top Postal Service environmental officials to help move it through the approval process. The new regulation went into effect on October 31, 2002. "King County had a significant role in helping us improve these regulations," said Mike Fanning, national recycling coordinator for the U.S. Postal Service in Washington, D.C. "These changes will benefit people who need food and basic supplies, while reducing Postal Service waste disposal costs." "We appreciate the efforts of the Postal Service and King County to improve these regulations," said Tim Bernthal, food program manager for Hopelink, a non-profit that operates food banks, literacy, housing, child care, and transportation service programs throughout north and east King County. "In this time of need, our food banks welcome this change in regulation and any products it might provide to Hopelink or other organizations." The new regulations also make it much easier for post offices to donate undelivered magazines to homeless shelters, schools, hospitals, non-profits or institutions. For the first time, the regulations specify that if post offices are unable to donate all their undelivered magazines, they should recycle them, if recycling is cost-effective. Previously, many of these magazines have been thrown away. Two national groups, the Reuse Development Organization and America's Second Harvest, are helping to inform food banks, homeless shelters and other eligible non-profits around the nation about the changes. The new regulations are online, in the "Domestic Mail" section of the Postal Bulletin, at: http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2002/html/pb22088. For more information on this effort or other King County waste reduction programs and strategies contact Tom Watson at tom.watson@kingcounty.gov or (206) 296-4481. Tips on waste reduction and recycling are available at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/. Related Information |
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