ARKANSAS PROCESSING & DISTRIBUTION CENTER RECEIVES 2013 FEDERAL GREEN CHALLENGE AWARD

left to right: Garrett Jones, Artis Sapp, Brain Irons, Shanda King, Jeremy Motes

The Little Rock Processing Center used the innovative approach of maximizing the consolidation of retail recyclables that are collected from 15 Post Offices to simplify the collection and recycling of undeliverable mail. 

The Little Rock plant worked closely with Postmasters in the participating Post Offices to provide transportation to transfer undeliverable mail to the plant’s recycling collection center. 

As a result of these efforts, the Postal Service gets the best possible market value for its mixed paper using a market based contract to maximize value for the USPS. Very few USPS Post Offices have achieved the recycling performance levels found at the Little Rock plant; in FY 2012 the Little Rock plant recycled 97% of its waste stream. This is one of the highest recycling rate of any mail processing facility in the United States and reflects the staff’s commitment to finding recycling solutions for virtually every waste stream – be it mixed paper, cardboard, metal, batteries, wood pallets, mail transportation equipment, office equipment, etc.). 

The plant took these issues to heart and the result has been that recycling has been maintained as an important USPS program because it represents an economic winner for Little Rock and the participating retail offices that feed their undeliverable mail to this facility.