The Secure Destruction program provides an opportunity to improve environmental performance, cut costs, and enhance value to customers​.

Participation offers mailers reduced costs associated with receiving, handling, and destroying RTS mail with Privacy Protected Information (PPI). USPS also benefits by reducing the amount of Return to Sender (RTS) mail that needs to be processed, transported, and delivered to mailers. 

Mailers that enroll in the program will receive Daily Electronic Notice of the mailpieces sorted for Secure Destruction, which is generated and provided to registered mailers through the USPS Electronic Product Fulfillment website. ACS notices are also generated and provided separately. The Secure Destruction Electronic Notification documentation will guide you through the Secure Destruction process, mailer requirements; data file formats, and sample data.

Mailing Industry Benefits

• Reduces carbon emissions (i.e., greenhouse gases). The USPS estimates that for every 25,000 pieces of carrier delivered Return To Sender (RTS) mail that is destroyed, carbon emissions are reduced by an average of 1 metric ton of CO₂ equivalent.
• The process takes place within secure USPS facilities by Postal employees, reducing risks of information exposure.
• All securely destroyed mail will be recycled, thus reducing the demand on natural resources.

Benefits for Registered Mailers

• Reduction of in-house costs for handling and destroying Return to Sender (RTS) mail.
• Visibility into the process through daily automated notifications on the USPS Electronic Product Fulfillment (EPF) website.
• Improvements in privacy protection for customers.

Mailers interested in the Secure Destruction Program must complete these steps to register:

1. Use of the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb™) for letter and flat-sized Full Service or Basic First-Class Mail is required. 

2. An ACS account is required to receive the secure destruction notices. You may use an existing OneCode ACS, SingleSource ACS™, or Traditional ACS account, or you may open a new ACS account.

3. Access to Electronic Product Fulfillment (EPF) website is required, because that's how the secure destruction notices will be provided. If you already have an ACS account or subscribe to other Address Management products, then you probably already have EPF access.

4. Complete and submit the Secure Destruction Enrollment form. This will enable the flow of secured destruction notices to your ACS account.

5. Determine which Secure Destruction Service Type ID (STID) you will use in the IMb. Information on the options available can be found in the Secure Destruction Electronic Notification documentation. You will be provided with a list of the STIDs as soon as you are registered.