Stop Us Post Office Junk Mail and Reduce Clutter

The US Post Office sends out a staggering 28 billion pieces of junk mail annually, contributing to the cluttered mailboxes and overflowing recycling bins of many Americans.

The average American receives 41 pounds of junk mail per year, which is equivalent to about 125 pieces of junk mail per month.

You can take control of the junk mail that's flooding your mailbox by opting out of unwanted catalogs and promotional offers.

The US Post Office allows you to register your address on the National Do Not Mail List, which can help reduce the amount of junk mail you receive.

You can register at DMAchoice.org to decide what types of mail you do and don’t want from marketers. This will stop most, but not all, promotional mail.

The registration process is free online, but you'll have to pay a $6 processing fee, and your registration will last for 10 years.

If you don't have online access, you can register by sending your name and address (with signature), along with a $7 processing fee (check or money order payable to the Association of National Advertisers or ANA) to DMAchoice at P.O. Box 900 in Cos Cob, CT 06807.

Recommended read: Post Office Address Registration

You can also use DMAchoice to stop mail from being addressed to someone who’s deceased or to a dependent in your care.

If you're still receiving unwanted mail after registering, look for contact information near the bottom of the mailing, on the mailing label, or on the company’s website to directly request removal from the marketing list.

To stop junk promo products, look for phrases like RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED or CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED on the envelope, and write “REFUSED, RETURN TO SENDER” on the unopened envelope.

Here are some phrases to look for on the envelope to stop junk promo products:

Mail sent to “Resident,” “Current Resident,” or “Current Occupant” can be refused if it contains one of these endorsements, or if it is sent in First Class Mail.

Junk mail takes 100 million trees to make each year, which could be critical in combating climate change by absorbing carbon from the Earth's atmosphere.

The unsolicited mail adds up, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's data showing all marketing mail created in 2018 would weigh more than 8 billion pounds.

You're likely to end up throwing away junk mail if you don't have a recycling program, which impacts the carbon input-output we do daily.

It's estimated that each person receives nearly 25 pounds of marketing mail per year, which is a staggering amount of waste.

Getting your name off marketing lists can be difficult, with some companies claiming to have "no control" over the process.

You can take action against unnecessary junk mail by contacting the right people and organizations.

You can email the USPS Postmaster General directly at [email protected] to express your concerns about unwanted mail.

If you want to remove your personal information from direct marketing lists, you can contact companies like Catalog Choice at catalogchoice.org.

Catalog Choice contacts various direct marketing organizations on your behalf to get your information removed.

Worth a look: Post Office Direct Mail

Be sure to fill in your information exactly as it is printed on the Valpak mailing label when using Catalog Choice.

If you only want to receive coupons from Valpak, you can visit valpak.com to choose and print coupons by geographical location.

You can also unsubscribe from Valassis's Save Mailer by using their service.

If you're still receiving unwanted mail after following these steps, look for contact information on the mailing label or the company's website to request removal from their marketing list.

You can register at DMAchoice.org to decide what types of mail you do and don’t want from marketers. This will stop most, but not all, promotional mail, and you'll have to pay a $6 processing fee for a registration that lasts 10 years.

If you don't have online access, you can register by mail by sending your name and address with a signature and a $7 processing fee to DMAchoice. This will also last for 10 years.

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Registering someone at DMAchoice.org will permanently put their name, address, and email on the ANA's mail and email opt-out lists. This includes options to stop mail from being addressed to someone who’s deceased or to a dependent in your care.

It takes 100 million trees to make junk mail each year. This is a staggering number that highlights the real environmental impact of unwanted mail.

Junk mail wastes your time and creates clutter, but it also has a significant impact on the environment and climate. If you're still receiving unwanted mail after registering, look for contact information near the bottom of the mailing or on the company’s website to request removal from the marketing list.