Policy to Reduce Inbound Mail Waste

Introduction

Purpose

On average, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (the “University”) receives approximately 1.6 million pieces of commercial mail for faculty/staff, 95 percent of which is for people no longer at the University, undeliverable as addressed, unwanted or preferred digitally. Since 2010, University Mail Services has identified and contacted more than 500 companies sending undeliverable mail. Furthermore, the majority of delivered pieces are recycled immediately either by the mail center, department administrator or the end user.

Adopting the Waste Free Mail Policy could reduce paper waste by 537,920 pounds (269 tons) annually. The mail savings would be the equivalent of saving 6,455 trees, saving enough energy to power 96 homes for a year and reducing greenhouse gases equal to the annual emissions of 137 cars.

Scope of Applicability

This policy will impact any company or organization who produces commercial mail to be distributed on campus using the United States Postal Services (USPS) distribution stream.

Policy

Policy Statement

In an effort to reduce mail waste - defined as the 1.5 million pieces of undeliverable and/or unwanted commercial mail the University historically receives and recycles annually - the University shall require a method for commercial mailing companies who send mass-produced commercial mail to the University to certify their mailing list in the following manner:

• remove people from mailing lists who are no longer at the University;
• correct undeliverable as addressed mail pieces;
• remove unwanted mailing pieces; and
• identify those individuals who prefer digital instead of printed delivery.

The University shall require commercial mailing companies to cease delivery of all mass-produced mail from a non-certified list.

Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy require approval from the Manager of University Mail Services. The Manager can be contacted at 919-962-3042 or at wastefreemail@unc.edu

Compliance

Non-compliance of this policy will cause mail to be returned or recycled immediately; with no attempt at delivery.

Roles and Responsibilities

• University Mail Services (UMS) will develop and manage the procedures and infrastructure to support and communicate the policy.
• The Manager of UMS will act as the administrator of the policy and campus liaison to the outside companies.
• Purchasing Services will communicate the new policy to University vendors using their existing communications channels.
• UMS will post the policy, procedures, and methods for certifying lists on its website and will promote it through internal communications channels to members of the campus community.
• Sustainability will be the formal reporting unit for the policy's effectiveness, as it pertains to reduction of waste.

Definitions

• USPS - United States Postal Service
• DMM - Domestic Mail Manual; policy and procedure manual for the USPS
• Commercial mail - mail created through use of a mass mailing list.
• Undeliverable as addressed (UAA) - mail that does not include a Campus Box # in the address.
• Campus Box # (CB#) - the method used to sort and deliver mail to faculty/staff on the UNC campus.
• Certified list - a data set that produces an outcome of ninety-five percent (95%) or higher clean records (based on the criteria of removing people no longer at the University and undeliverable as addressed mail pieces.

Related Requirements

External Regulations and Consequences

• USPS Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 508.1.5.1 & 508.1.6.2 - Recipient Services

University Policies, Standards, and Procedures

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Sustainability Policy

Contact Information