Mail Recovery Center to the rescue

Last year, the Mail Recovery Center (MRC) in Atlanta, GA — the Postal Service’s “last opportunity” to deliver or return valuable mail — received 53.4 million pieces of mail USPS couldn’t successfully handle using its normal network.

Of these, approximately 10.6 million mail pieces had “possible value” — and the MRC delivered or returned almost half of these pieces. The rest either had no value or didn’t have information the MRC could use to determine senders or receivers.

That’s why USPS is reminding employees what to send or not send to the MRC.

Processing centers, delivery units and National Distribution Centers should send to the MRC undeliverable and non-returnable Express Mail, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail, packages and “loose-in-the-mail” items. Some of the mail pieces employees shouldn’t send to the MRC include standard letters and flats, magazines, post cards, catalogs, Advertising Mail, phone books and hazardous materials. Also, discard labels and empty packages.

Sometimes, high value mail — despite the MRC’s best efforts — goes unclaimed. During fiscal year 2011, the MRC was able to capture over $8 million in revenue through auctions, recycling and the proper disposal of unclaimed items.