Mail and parcel centers seek to reduce hazardous cargo

Mail and parcel centers seek to reduce hazardous cargo    A group that represents independent operators of private mail and parcel shipping centers is rolling out a national program designed to increase consumer awareness of the risks of shipping hazardous goods.
   “There have been recent incidents where hazardous, illegal, prohibited, dangerous and restricted goods have threatened the logistic systems of the carriers, including their aircraft and trucks,” said Brandon Gale, president of Associated Mail and Parcel Centers.
   The group said its members operate from more than 3,300 mail and parcel shipping locations and handle about 29 million prepacked parcels presented for shipping.
   Last year the group conducted a survey of its members, who said that as many as one in 200 packages contain hazmat or prohibited/restricted/illegal contents. These include items such as cosmetics, auto paint and batteries.
   “With the current system of package drop-offs that prohibits pack-and-ship retail store owners from opening and inspecting shipments charged to third-party accounts, and the proliferation among the carriers of ‘personal’ shipping accounts, it’s imperative that our industry take steps to educate our customers about the potential problems caused by the shipment of hazardous items,” Gale said.
   The group’s new program, called Ship Responsibly, is voluntary, but participating stores would show customers lists of various sorts of problem items and ask them to attest that they are not shipping hazardous materials.
   The idea behind the program is both to reduce accidents and injury to employees.
   Gale also noted that the question of liability in shipping hazardous goods “is vague at best, and our new Ship Responsibly program is a major and much-needed step in protecting the public and our members.”
   The group is also calling for establishment of a national “shipper registry,” which would flag shippers who have shipped improper materials in the past and also “assist in identifying the sources of all packages dropped off for shipment at retail pack and shipment stores,” Gale said. “This would be different than the existing Transportation Security Administration’s Known Shipper program.”