Recycling U.S. Postal Mailers Is Illegal?
Reuse, repurpose, recycle: it’s a mantra we’re all hearing these days, whether we want to or not. And, while there are some who claim that all the hype over going green is just that — “hype” — most of us realize that it makes financial sense to reuse what you can, rather than shelling out for more stuff.
But when it comes to those Priority Mail boxes from the U.S. Post Office, that’s a big no-no. Not even if you strip off the labels. Not even if you turn the thing inside out and re-tape it before mailing, so that only the brown cardboard side shows. Such recycling might get you slapped with charges of “misusing postal service property” (even though you pay postage to mail it), as one Colorado man has recently learned.
“Our Priority Mail and Express Mail boxes are, bottom line, supposed to be used for that service,” said Nicole Reiter with the Postal Service. “That is what they are intended to be used for.”
The Postal Service said it promotes recycling, as long as customers pay accordingly, even if the box is turned inside out.
“It is important that the customer uses it for the proper service,” said Reiter. Reiter said customers sometimes order their priority and express mail boxes online and then try to use them standard mail. She said that makes it difficult for the USPS to determine which boxes are new or reused.
According to a Post Office spokesperson, the ban against recycling helps keep postal rates “low” for everyone.
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
“postal rates low”? This a week and a half before postal rates are scheduled to increase??? Please!
Amandas last blog post..Poor kitties
That reminds me to go buy some forever stamps before the rate goes up!
kimschs last blog post..Beauty
Another week, another postal rate hike. Sure explains the concept behind that “Forever” stamp… they’re forever raising rates, aren’t they?
Besides, your local post office, if it’s anything like the one near me, sells various sizes of boxes and envelopes and whatnot, which they’d much rather you paid for, especially since the markup rivals Neiman’s.
CGHills last blog post..Quotes of the week
That’s something that just boggles the mind, isn’t it? The Post Office bitches that email, online services and other shipping companies have cut into stamp and mailing sales, and therefore they need to raise postal prices.
So what happens when you try walking into your local Post Office to actually mail something via snail mail (rather than sending it via UPS)?
They charge you for the SAME stuff you could’ve ordered from their web site for FREE???
I have never met a postal worker that was not a total moron.(I am sure there are a few who are not morons at least I hope!) Also all the postal workers I ever encountered had no idea what customer service meant. If I had to ship something I always chose UPS or other carriers, I had to do mailings for work everyday. Unfortunately I could not send the billings out that way or I would have mailed those a different carrier too!
UPS and the other carriers really need to do a letter rate. Put USPS out of business, they don’t know how to run it like a business or they would not keep having postage increases constantly.
What do you expect from a government service that’s run by union workers?
Exactly they need competition to put them out of business!Just like public schools…. oh boy I won’t get started on that one!
That’s a favorite topic of mine, as you know. Unfortunately, I can’t say that having private competition (in the form of charter or private schools, or even homeschooling) seems to have had much impact on public education.
I can understand not reusing it when it’s got “Priority Mail” printed all over it and you’re not sending whatever you’re sending by priority mail. But I can’t believe you can’t turn it inside out. Do they read the inside of the boxes?
For the record, my local post office is lovely. Funky but lovely.
Annes last blog post..Fun Thing #1: Trip to Lake Lure
We need rebates…If we don’t send our kids to public school we get that money back to pay for the private school. Public schools need to be run like businesses. The government needs to get out of the school business, the stamp business and my business, and wallet.OKAY it is not that I am anti social or anything I just think less government in everyones lives would give us more money and better lives.
Maybe I should run for president. That might be scary though as I would tell them all to F off! All the liberal media would hate me because they would be next in line to be told do do the same. Socialist scumbags….
Maybe that Martini was a little strong tonight I have really loose lips …er fingers.