The Postal Service is reminding employees to safeguard the mailstream from improperly wrapped or damaged packages containing hazardous materials.
Once packages containing damaged, leaking or nonmailable hazardous materials are identified, they should be brought to a designated rewrap or hazardous material mail staging area for assessment.
Hazardous items that are disposed of locally could be regulated and require special attention.
Potentially regulated items include aerosol cans, batteries, bulbs and lamps, bleach and other cleaning supplies, compressed gases, devices that contain mercury, drugs and other pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, hand sanitizer, lighter fluid and other fuels, lighters and matches, oils, paints, perfumes, pesticides, solvents and thinners.
Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail, has an explanation of how to identify damaged or leaking parcels and parcels containing non-mailable hazardous materials.
Once identified as hazardous materials, the incident should be logged using the Mail Incident Reporting Tool, which helps USPS and the Postal Inspection Service track such incidents. The Postal Service’s hazardous materials standard operating procedure document has additional procedural information.
The Damaged, Leaking and Non-Mailable Parcels — Waste Management Environmental Compliance Bulletin, available on the Environmental Affairs Blue page, has more information on the waste classification process and proper disposal.
For state-specific waste disposal requirements or questions, employees should consult their region’s designated USPS environmental specialist.
