Austin offers 'junk mail' opt out

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Hate going to your mail box only to find it filled with unwanted catalogs, flyers for new credit cards, and phone books?

The days may be numbered for that chore

The city of Austin's Resource Recovery announced Thursday that it is offering residents a free service called Catalog Choice to help reduce junk mail.

The program is all part of the city's efforts to be zero waste.

The site allows residents to choose which types of junk mail should be stopped. City officials said that within 90 days that unwanted mail will stop piling up in the mailbox. 

While this type of mail is currently recycled through the city, the idea is to reduce the amount going into the system.

"The first step to recycling is to reduce what we have," said Bob Gerdert, Austin Resource Recovery director.  "It will also reduce the cost the city pays to recycle this waste."

Gerdert said if residents take part he estimates it will reduce yearly solid waste costs by 10 dollars per resident.  While that savings will not be passed along to residents immediately Gerdert added it could in the future.

"When it comes time to look at possible increases for solid waste services we may not have to increase it for residents because we have this cost savings."

Catalog Choice will provide the city figures for how much waste is being reduced based on the amount of residents signing up.

While the service is free for residents the initial cost to the city to get the program set up was $7500.

To use the opt out service click on this link .