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Stop Unwanted Mail
Catalogs, sweepstakes, credit card offers, coupons fill your mailbox on a daily basis. “Direct mail” (a.k.a. junk mail) is not just cluttering up on your kitchen counters it is also a hazard to our environment! The EPA estimates that the average American receives 41 pounds of junk mail a year and few companies print on recycled paper, and not all junk mail is being recycled.
We can stop junk mail through a phone call or spending a few minutes online. If you are receiving unwanted mail, contact the companies directly to be removed from their mailing list. After a few months or weeks, you will begin to receive less unwanted mail. The phone calls may seem time consuming, unnecessary, or not worth it, but the environmental impact is great.
DMAchoice™
Register with the Direct Marketing Association to have your name placed on a “delete” file, which is sent to companies four times a year. Registration is good for five years. By mail it costs $1.00 for the processing fee, or is free of charge if you register online. It will stop new direct mail solicitations only. You will continue to receive mail from companies with which you currently do business.
- DMAchoice™, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512
- Mail your request with a $1 check or money order, payable to the Direct Marketing Association to stop most direct mail solicitations.
- To register free online, go to www.dmachoice.org
Stop the Junk Mail
Register with “Stop the Junk Mail” to stop advertisements of non-profit organizations, post cards, book clubs, catalogs, and various other unwanted mail. By registering for $19.95 a year, it is 100% guaranteed that it will reduce your junk mail by up to 90%. To register online, check out www.stopthejunkmail.com
Credit Card and Credit Insurance Offers
To stop major credit card offers for five years or permanently, call (888) 5-OPTOUT. You must provide your full name, current mailing address, and social security number to complete the confidential request.
You can also contact these individual credit reporting companies to be removed from their solicitation lists:
- Equifax Options, P.O. Box 740123, Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
- Experian Consumer Opt Out, 701 Experian Parkway, Allen, TX 75013
- Trans Union LLC - Removal Option, P.O. Box 505, Woodlyn, PA 19094
Local Coupons
To stop local business mail and coupons call ADVO at (888) 241-6760, Val-Pak at (800) 676-6878, and Gold Clipper at (330) 633-4166.
Publishers Clearinghouse Mailings
You might already be a winner! Or you might not. To stop Publisher’s Clearinghouse Mail, call (800) 645-9242. Please allow 4-8 weeks to be taken off their mailing list.
Other Junk Mail
- If you receive unwanted mail or catalogs, it is easiest to call the 800 number and ask to be removed from their mailing list.
- Call your credit card company and ask them not to release your name and address to anyone.
- Contact your magazine and catalog subscriptions and ask that your name and address not be sold to any other company.
- When you donate money, order a product or service, or fill out a warranty card, ask the company to not release your name and address to anyone.
Recycle your unwanted mail
- All mail, wanted or unwanted, is recyclable through many community paper recycling programs. You may be able to include you junk mail with your newspaper and old magazines. Check with your city service department to see if your community recycles mixed paper.
- Following these procedures to stop junk mail takes a little bit of time and effort, but is well worth it. If you choose, you can reduce the amount of unwanted materials coming into your home, school, or workplace by 100%.
- When you donate money, order a product or service, or fill out a warranty card, ask the company to not release your name and address to anyone.
- If you continue to receive unwanted mail after several months, call the sender’s toll free number and ask to be removed from their mailing list.
- All mail, wanted or unwanted, is recyclable through many community’s recycling programs and through the Paper Retriever collection bins located throughout our area.
- Download our PDF of handy tips to reduce junk mail and stop unwanted phone calls.