June 22, 2007—The US Postal Service has announced that it is the only mailing or shipping company in the nation to achieve “Cradle to Cradle” Certification at the Silver level from MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry) for human and environmental health. USPS says its mailing and shipping supplies already had exceeded government requirements, including recycled content standards from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Going beyond existing federal and state agency requirements was a goal in seeking certification.
Cradle to Cradle Certification is a scientifically based process that reviews specific criteria to assess the environmental attributes of materials used in products, explains USPS. MBDC examined 60 packaging items, using 39 criteria for human and environmental health, including toxicity, renewable energy, water stewardship, recyclability, and other manufacturing attributes.
Based on the recycled content of the more than 500 million Express Mail and Priority Mail packages and envelopes the Postal Service provides its customers each year, more than 15,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent emissions (climate change gases) now will be prevented annually, says USPS. Express Mail and Priority Mail boxes and envelopes also are 100 percent recyclable.
To achieve certification, all 200 suppliers contributing to the manufacture of Postal Service envelopes and packages completed a demanding series of measurements and assessments of materials for human and environmental health. Maintaining these new, higher standards is now an integral part of doing business with the Postal Service.
All Priority Mail and Express Mail packages and envelopes, as well as Flat-Rate boxes and envelopes, are available to customers free of charge. Cradle to Cradle-certified envelopes, packages, and mailing supplies are available in post offices across the country and online from the USPS Business Web site.
