EPA New England: Greening Our Operations

Paper Use

Mail - Using automation to reduce the paper usage and economic costs of bulk mailings

Electronic Transmission	Printing	Mail

Using the mail to send announcements and publications is an important means for us to provide information. It is costly, however – in staff time, materials and postage. Our Green Team is working to reduce the paper usage and postage costs associated with mailing. We're doing this through improvements in the management and preparation of mailings.

We began in 2003 by analyzing our mailing practices:

• content of mailings (e.g. reports, announcements)
• numbers of recipients
• types of mailing lists
• reasons for returned mail

We found that most returned mail was deemed undeliverable due to an outdated or erroneous address.

In 2004, we purchased an automated mail address label system that crosschecks electronic mailing lists against a U.S. Postal Service database of deliverable addresses. Addresses and a barcode of the carrier's delivery route are printed directly onto the mailpiece, eliminating the need for labels. Duplicative and undeliverable addresses do not print. The system can process up to 36,000 addresses/hour.

Our Results:

• We have significantly reduced the number of returned units, reducing our paper waste.
• We have significantly reduced our postage costs. In 2006, EPA saved $13,000 in mailing costs with the automated system.

We're also working to reduce the size of our mailings by providing recipients the option to receive them electronically. Greater use of electronic mailings will reduce both paper usage and mailing costs.

Improvements in how offices prepare and manage their mailings is just one of the ways you can reduce paper. Use the links below for more information and tips:

Paper Consumption, Using Less Wood Quick Facts Series, Resource Conservation Alliance (PDF) (2 pp., 159 KB, about PDF)
Statistics on paper consumption in the US, impacts on the environment, techniques for reducing paper usage in the office, links for more information

Reducing Office Paper Waste, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, May 2004 (PDF) (6 pp. 119 KB, About PDF)
Businesses and institutions are discovering they can reduce costs and preserve our natural resources by reducing, reusing and recycling paper.

Business Junk Mail Reduction Project

Become a Paperless Office, Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance
Lots of tips, a fact sheet, posters about the 3Es for reducing paper usage: Economical, Environmental and Efficient

Creating a Paper Waste Reduction Campaign, California Integrated Waste Management Board

Regional Snapshot By using an automated mail system, EPA New England saved $13,000 in mailing costs.