Cardiff’s Trading Standards are offering advice to residents plagued by junk mail.
Each year in the UK, direct ‘junk’ mail accounts for around 550,000 tonnes of paper. For every tonne of junk mail produced 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and 390 gallons of oil are used.
Whats more, more than a third of all the junk mail received by householders is discarded before it is opened.
Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council, Councillor Judith Woodman, said: “Many people make the mistake of thinking that junk mail is an unavoidable part of modern life, when in fact they can do something about it. Some people enjoy receiving this kind of post, but I know that many people don’t. It isn’t easy to stop all unwanted mail but some steps can be taken to try to reduce unsolicited mail.”
How to show junk mail the door:
For addressed junk mail
De-register your details for free with the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) either online at www.mpsonline.org.uk, in writing to Mailing Preference Service, Freepost 29 LON20771, London W1E 0ZT, or by calling 0845 7034599.
Within 3-6 months you should see a big difference in the amount of unwanted mail you receive through your door.
For unaddressed regional junk mail
If you want to stop receiving unaddressed mail (to the ‘occupier’ or ‘householder’) that is delivered by Royal Mail to your home you can do so by contacting them at Freepost RRBT-ZBXB-TTTS Royal Mail Door to Door Opt Outs,Kingsmead House, Oxpens Road, OXFORD OX1 1RX or emailing [email protected]
The Royal Mail will then send an opt-out form to your address, which you must sign and return. This is required for security reasons – to verify that those resident at the address have requested the ‘opt out’. Once you’ve returned this form, the Royal Mail will stop delivering unaddressed items to your address within 6 weeks.
At the letterbox
You can place a sign on your door requesting “No Junk Mail” to help reduce the number of fliers you receive.
Return to Sender
Use the prepaid envelope that the company sent and send the contents back asking to be taken off their mailing list. This way the company pays the postage and if enough people do it, they will soon think of alternative methods of advertising. Alternatively write on the envelope “Return to Sender”.
Direct Contact
Call the company that sent you the junk mail and ask for your name and address to be removed from their mailing list; Only ring them up if they use a free telephone or local rate number.
Go paper free
Many companies you deal with offer online services such as banks and catalogues. As well as the convenience of viewing your account and paying bills online, you may also be able to stop receiving paper bills and statements. Contact your service provide for more details.
Opt out
Select the option to not have your name shown on the public copy of the electoral role, which is sold to mailing firms.
Tick the box
Always check the small print on forms. Some forms ask you to tick the box to receive offers from the company’s affiliates and some ask you to tick to not receive details;
Guard your details
Be careful who you provide your details to! Ask the company you are buying from not to share your details with other organisations.
Always:
- Select the option to not have your name shown on the public copy of the electoral role, which is sold to mailing firms;
- Check the small print on forms. Some forms ask you to tick the box to receive offers from the company’s affiliates and some ask you to tick to not receive details;
- When purchasing items or utilities over the phone ensure you opt out of receiving further information on services from that company or partner organisations when you are asked;
- Remember to recycle any unwanted mail you receive.
