17.5 billion pieces of junk mail are distributed in the UK every single year. This is 650 pieces per household: about two per day.
In the States it's estimated to be closer to 850 per household. And you know how many trees are cut down for this? 100 million trees, every year, just for the world's supply of junk mail.
42% of junk mail goes straight into the bin - unopened - ending up in landfill and not being recycled. What an absolute waste of resources.
There are two main companies in the UK in charge of junk mail distribution, and unfortunately you have to create more waste before you can have your waste reduced. A ‘No Junk Mail’ sticker on your mailbox doesn’t work and you can't take care of it via email, over the phone or online.
You have to contact both Royal Mail and Direct Marketing Association to cancel your Door to Door unaddressed mail - via the post. They ask you to print out a form, fill it in and post it to them.
Both Royal Mail and DMA say it will take up to 6 weeks before they will stop giving you those flyers you have never asked for. I have done this about three months ago, and it works!
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