The Postal Service is showing that being environmentally responsible isn’t just the right thing to do —it’s also good for business, Chief Sustainability Officer Tom Day told government leaders last week.
Day cited the National Recycling Operation, which uses postal vehicles to transport paper and other waste to USPS hubs for consolidation and recycling.
The operation is projected to generate millions of dollars in combined savings and revenue. The program aims to increase current postal recycling rates and reduce the cost of transporting waste to landfills.
As many as 200 plants are expected to serve as backhaul recycling hubs for their service areas.
“Due to the current financial constraints of our organization, we had to make sound business decisions,” he said. “The National Recycling Operation was one of those that made good business sense.”
Day spoke at the GreenGov symposium, an annual conference in Washington, DC, that showcases federal agencies that are leaders in promoting sustainability.
He also discussed other examples of the Postal Service’s recycling and waste management efforts. The organization is making progress toward its goal of diverting 90 percent of waste destined for landfills to recycling, he said.
The Sustainability Blue page has additional information.