A corporate decision by Canada Post to remove recycling bins from their
offices has created a surprising result locally – people continue to dump
unaddressed mail on the floor instead.
“I was appalled,” said Denise Hutchinson, a local area superintendent with
Canada Post.
Hutchinson said the decision to remove the recycling bins was made because
of security concerns. Regular, addressed mail was being found in bins across
the country. “It is very much a security of mail issue,” she explained.
“People are exposing themselves” for possible fraud or scams down the road.
Another reason Canada Post removed the bins, Hutchinson said, was because it
wasn’t fair to customers who pay to have the flyers distributed through the
mail. “We charge customers eight to 10 cents to send out their flyers and
information and then provide other customers with bins so they can dispose
of them. Canada Post decided that wasn’t fair to those sending out the
flyers.”
Hutchinson pointed out that people who don’t want to receive unaddressed
mail, including flyers and brochures, can simply request that they not be
put in the mail box. “If they inform us they don’t want any, we won’t put
them in the box.” But, she noted, it has to be an all or nothing thing.
“People can’t pick and choose what flyers they want and don’t want,” she
said. “Either they get none or get them all.”
Resident John Finlay said he was upset at seeing the mess on the floor. “It
was a very disturbing site. I feel it’s like a let down that your fellow
citizens would do something like this instead of taking it home.”
Hutchinson agreed. “I don’t understand why they can’t take it home and
recycle it themselves,” she said.
She said customers don’t understand the ramifications. “It’s dangerous,”
Hutchinson said, explaining that one day last week, while picking up a pile
of unaddressed mail, she found the stub of an HST rebate cheque among the
debris. “It contained everything, their Social Security Number, their
address, and the amount of the cheque.”
As a result of the trash, post office staff have to frequently go out to
sweep the papers into a corner. “We’re trying to keep it as clean as
possible,” Hutchinson said. “I just don’t understand why we have to. Is it
that hard to take the mail home yourself,” she asked.