USPS looks to change Move Update requirements

New proposed changes to the US Postal Service's Move Update program would require businesses to update their bulk-mailing lists every 95 days, instead of the current 185 days.

The proposed new standard, which pertains to Standard or First-Class Mail pieces, would take effect on November 23. It is intended to reduce costs and waste from undeliverable bulk mail 50% by 2010, the USPS said.

According to the USPS, an estimated 9.7 billion pieces of undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail are received every year, costing around $2 billion to process.

Companies that fail to comply can be charged 7 cents for each piece of mail in a mailing. Previously, there were no fines for mailings that had a considerable amount of undeliverable mail.