What is generally known as "junk mail" can be defined as unaddressed mail, including promotional letters, flyers, and brochures.
The mailboxes of most Canadian residences see enormous quantities of junk mail pass through them each year. Many multi-family residences, like condominiums or apartment buildings, have a convienently located recycling bin right in front of the wall of mailboxes tenants can simply dispose of junk mail without having to bring it to their homes. According to the Flyer Distribution Standards Association, a quarter of Canadians discard flyers without reading them.
Canada Post's policy is that customers may opt out of receiving junk mail by displaying a sign indicating a desire to do so, or by contacting one's local postal outlet. Canada Post estimates that 5 percent of Canadian households have actually done this.
The federal government could mandate that Canada Post - a Crown corporation - simply cease to deliver junk mail to Canadian homes. The environmental impact would likely be significant.
However, a substancial portion of Canada Post's annual revenue comes from the delivery of unaddressed admail; eliminating this income stream could have a dire effect on the already-struggling institution. Further, the advertising industry contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the economy through the production of junk mail.
Banning junk mail seems like a no-brainer from an environmental perspective. On the other hand, there are already procedures in place for Canadians to opt-out, procedures of which 95 percent of the population chooses not to avail itself. So is this a place for the government to step in and mandate change, or should well-enough be left alone?
Canada Post asks Canadians to start accepting junk mail
http://globalnews.ca/news/585922/canada-post-opts-for-junk-mail/
The mailboxes of most Canadian residences see enormous quantities of junk mail pass through them each year. Many multi-family residences, like condominiums or apartment buildings, have a convienently located recycling bin right in front of the wall of mailboxes tenants can simply dispose of junk mail without having to bring it to their homes. According to the Flyer Distribution Standards Association, a quarter of Canadians discard flyers without reading them.
Canada Post's policy is that customers may opt out of receiving junk mail by displaying a sign indicating a desire to do so, or by contacting one's local postal outlet. Canada Post estimates that 5 percent of Canadian households have actually done this.
The federal government could mandate that Canada Post - a Crown corporation - simply cease to deliver junk mail to Canadian homes. The environmental impact would likely be significant.
However, a substancial portion of Canada Post's annual revenue comes from the delivery of unaddressed admail; eliminating this income stream could have a dire effect on the already-struggling institution. Further, the advertising industry contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the economy through the production of junk mail.
Banning junk mail seems like a no-brainer from an environmental perspective. On the other hand, there are already procedures in place for Canadians to opt-out, procedures of which 95 percent of the population chooses not to avail itself. So is this a place for the government to step in and mandate change, or should well-enough be left alone?
Canada Post asks Canadians to start accepting junk mail
http://globalnews.ca/news/585922/canada-post-opts-for-junk-mail/
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