The postal service has laid the groundwork for improving safety at mail facilities nationwide as the Postmaster General warned Americans yesterday that there are no guarantees that the mail delivered to private homes is safe.
“We’re asking people to handle mail very carefully,” Potter said yesterday on CBS’s Good Morning America. “People have to be aware of everything in their day-to-day life and certainly mail in our system is threatened right now.”
One cause for concern is that anthrax-tainted mail may have contaminated other letters or packages nearby as it moved through mail sorting and processing equipment that were then delivered to the general public. There are no reports of anyone being infected or exposed to anthrax from mail received in a private home.
To further safeguard the mail stream, the USPS has requested at least $625 million from congress to purchase more safety equipment, according to reports.
In the meantime, the service said it has ordered equipment to detect and kill anthrax spores as it rushes to contain the spread of the deadly bacteria. The new irradiation technology will neutralize anthrax that might move through the mail and is already successfully used to fight bacteria in the food supply, the USPS said. “This new technology won’t be cheap, but we are committed to spending what it takes to make the mail safe,” Potter said in a statement.
Procedures are being changed for cleaning mail sorting equipment. Vacuuming equipment will be installed to clean the mail sorting and processing machines and absorb dust and other particles. This system will replace a cleaning procedure that blew dust and particles out of the machines, a process being examined as a possible cause of spreading anthrax spores through the air.
Mail processing employees are being provided with masks and gloves for protection if they choose to use them. Field command centers are being established so employees can notify the center if they seek treatment at a hospital. The centers are expected to help quickly identify patterns of medical problems.
Stronger antibacterial cleaning chemicals will be used as part of routine maintenance.
The USPS is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone having mailed a letter containing anthrax.
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