Monday, July 20, 2026
Keep fire extinguishers out of the trash
They can often be refilled, recharged, recycled or exchanged
The Postal Service is reminding employees that fire extinguishers are considered hazardous waste and should never be thrown in the trash.
Depending on their age or condition, they should be reused, refilled, recycled or exchanged.
Several USPS sites have a service contract, established by the USPS Facility Services Category Management Center, for taking care of fire extinguishers. For these sites, the supplier manages preventive maintenance and inspections without the site’s involvement.
Sites without a contract should contact their local fire department for local distributors that offer servicing options. These might include refilling, recharging, recycling or exchanging the fire extinguishers.
When no servicing or recycling options are available, used, expired or damaged fire extinguishers must be disposed of as regulated waste. Disposal services are available in eBuyPlus from Safety-Kleen. Records of fire extinguisher pickup and disposal must be kept.
The Waste Management and Recycling Disposal page on Blue has more information.
Employees with questions can contact the environmental specialist for their location.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
Heroes
He helped police find a missing child
This letter carrier’s attentiveness led to a safe return
Letter Carrier Cornelius S. Houston was delivering mail in Waxahachie, TX, recently when the police approached him with a photo of a missing child.
The Postal Service employee realized he had seen a child matching the description wandering in a wooded area along his route.
Houston shared what he had seen with the police, who then searched the area.
“Thanks to his attentiveness and quick action, the child was safely found,” Customer Service Supervisor Mavis Carter said.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered July 12-18
A new USPS service and a Wyoming postmaster made news
Last week, Link told readers about USPS Local XChange, a new offering that allows buyers and sellers who are local to each other to complete their transactions using USPS Smart Lockers.
We also shared news about the latest Postal Police hiring window, explained the duties of the USPS Board of Governors in “Primers,” and highlighted a new USPS Barbie stamp video.
In America 250 news, we reported on a special “Mail With Mr. ZIP” episode that travels back in time to 1776; highlighted a new USPS Declaration of Independence video; looked at the many patriotic stamps the organization issued to celebrate the semiquincentennial and highlighted a new USPS-licensed book, “Forever Stamps: 250 Years of United States History Writ Small.”
“On the Job” spotlighted Lorraine French, the postmaster of Meeteetse, a small town in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin; and “People” reported on the rosy stamp sales at the Barbie doll convention in Austin, TX, where the new stamp debuted.
“We had 1,000 first-day envelopes and they were all gone within two to three hours. Attendees loved the stamps,” said Becky Hernandez, Southern Area strategic communications specialist. “We sold all 1,000 panes.”
Finally, “Heroes” told the story of Cornelius Houston, a Waxahachie, TX, letter carrier who helped police locate a missing child
“Thanks to his attentiveness and quick action, the child was safely found,” Postmaster Mavis Carter said.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
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Keep fire extinguishers out of the trash
They can often be refilled, recharged, recycled or exchanged
-
Heroes
He helped police find a missing child
This letter carrier’s attentiveness led to a safe return
-
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered July 12-18
A new USPS service and a Wyoming postmaster made news