 unique corporate-environmental alliance
has produced an action plan that will help UPS dramatically reduce the amount
of natural resources needed to make its express packaging. The joint project,
an eight-month review of UPS' packaging with the Alliance for Environmental
Innovation, produced concrete, affordable changes for UPS' package production
processes. Indeed, once fully implemented, the various changes are expected
to actually save the company more than $1 million annually. A full report
on the project is available at www.edf.org/alliance on the World Wide Web.
 "This initiative exceeded our
expectations," said Elizabeth Sturcken, policy analyst for the Alliance.
"Together, UPS and the Alliance were able to design practical packaging
improvements that conserve energy, cut pollution, and reduce solid waste,
while delivering better products for the customer and saving money. This
is a win for the environment and UPS' bottom line, and an excellent example
of business and environmental interests coming together on common ground
and sharing expertise."
The new packaging improvements announced
today along with the reusable envelope introduced earlier this year will
increase the use of post-consumer recycled materials by 22 percent, cut
wastewater discharge by more than 15 percent and use 12 percent less energy
compared to previous UPS packaging.
"UPS already is seeing impressive
business benefits from this environmental project," said Mike Herr,
manager of Environmental Affairs at UPS. "Beyond the cost savings,
the environmental improvements are a reflection of our long-standing commitment
to sound environmental practices. In addition, these changes and new packaging
options have been eagerly accepted by many customers and are helping UPS
to grow our business."
The packaging results announced today
cut across the spectrum of UPS express shipping packages. They include:
- Nearly doubling the amount of post-consumer recycled
material in the UPS box, and using at least 80 percent post-consumer recycled
material in the Express Letter.
- Eliminating the use of bleached paper in all express
packaging (lessening pollution of water from chlorinated compounds).
- Reducing overall waste and pollution from production
of shipping materials by an average of 13 percent.
- Introducing post-consumer recycled material into UPS'
plastic PAK and reducing each PAK's weight by almost 10 percent.
- Market testing reusable options for other packaging.
In addition, UPS has expanded its
use of reusable packaging to include the A4 Next Day Air Letter. The A4
envelope is the standard envelope in most countries outside the United States,
longer than the standard, 9-by-12 inch US envelopes. It is now available
for U.S. and overseas shipments.
The Alliance for Environmental Innovation
is a joint initiative of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and The Pew
Charitable Trusts. The Alliance works cooperatively with businesses to reduce
waste and build environmental considerations into business decisions. By
bringing the expertise and perspective of environmental scientists and economists
together with the business skills of major corporations, the Alliance creates
solutions that make environmental and business sense.
UPS is the world's largest express
carrier and package delivery company, serving more than 200 countries and
territories around the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, UPS has been
rated the world's most admired mail, package and freight delivery company
by Fortune magazine, just six months after winning its 15th consecutive
annual award as America's Most Admired transportation company. For more
information about UPS' environmental initiatives, visit community.ups.com.
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