This report presents the results of our audit of Cardboard Mail Transport Equipment Recycling Program.
The U.S. Postal Service uses significant quantities of cardboard mail transport equipment (MTE) for transportation of mail and packages. In its Delivering for America 2.0 strategic plan, the Postal Service aims to divert 75 percent of waste from landfills by fiscal year (FY) 2030. In FY 2024, the Postal Service diverted 66 percent of its total waste from landfills, with cardboard waste accounting for 31 percent of this diversion. This initiative helped the Postal Service avoid over $10.8 million in costs related to cardboard MTE trash services. Despite incurred costs of approximately $11.8 million, they generated about $6.5 million in revenue from recycled materials, yielding net savings of $5.5 million. Efficient recycling and reuse practices for materials such as cardboard MTE, reduce waste and support the Postal Service’s sustainability target.
Our objective was to assess the efficiency of the Postal Service’s purchasing and recycling of cardboard MTE. We conducted observations at 11 mail processing facilities and interviewed facility management. We also reviewed contracts and data for purchasing and recycling of cardboard MTE from FY 2022 through FY 2024.
