06/05/2007

U.S. Postal Service Going Greener

June 2, 2007
Official Board Markets

The U.S. Postal Service is requiring vendors to use environmentally friendly materials to create envelopes and packages that carry 500 million Priority and Express shipments annually.

It was first in the industry to introduce a totally reusable next-day envelope. It also converted to nontoxic inks, switched to 100 percent recycled fiber for its envelopes, and cut energy used in package manufacturing by at least 12 percent.

Packaging products suppliers, including Sioux Falls, S.D.-based folding carton converter Bell Inc., must use materials that can be recycled and won’t harm the environment, says Postmaster General John Potter. The changes apply to 10 direct suppliers and 200 makers of products such as glue, ink and paper.

Bell makes more than 200 million courier envelopes for the Postal Service. It now meets the “Cradle to Cradle” standards for environmental health and sustainability.

Cradle to Cradle Certification is a scientifically based process. It involves using peer-reviewed data to assess and optimize the environmental attributes of materials used in products and production.

To achieve this certification, every Bell Inc. supplier that contributes to the manufacturer of the Postal Service envelopes went through a demanding series of measurements and assessments, conducted by MBDC, a design firm founded in 1995 to promote and implement eco-effective design and the developer of the certification process. Areas reviewed and modified as needed for the finished packaging included the human health and environmental characteristics of materials, recyclability of materials, use of renewable energy in the manufacturing processes, efficient use of water and water quality during production, and strategies for social responsibility.

“We have been working toward sustainable manufacturing at Bell for many years, and our suppliers have been involved in that process with us,” says Ben Graham, vice president of finance, sales and supply chain for Bell Inc. “But it was still a long and challenging process requiring the cooperation and commitment of every supplier, looking at every nook and cranny of our supply chain.”

Last year the Postal Service tallied more than $6 billion in revenue from Priority and Express mail. These are the premium shipments that compete with private delivery companies FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. It spent about $114 million on the packages themselves last year.

The materials are 100 percent recyclable. They will cost the same and remain free for customers. Also, the service will allow the same packaging to be used internationally.

Callout: “It was a long and challenging process requiring the cooperation and commitment of every supplier, looking at every nook and cranny of our supply chain.”—B. Graham, Bell Inc.