[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48959-48960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20009]
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POSTAL SERVICE
Mailing Cremated Remains
AGENCY: Postal Service TM.
ACTION: Notice of prospective revision of standards; invitation to
comment.
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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend Hazardous,
Restricted, and Perishable Mail, Publication 52, in various sections to
require markings on mailpieces containing cremated remains, to
eliminate the use of USPS-produced Priority Mail Express[supreg] labels
for domestic shipments, and to limit the use of additional mailing
services.
DATES: Submit comments on or before October 17, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the manager, Product
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446,
Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the
name and address of the commenter and send to
[email protected], with a subject line of ``Mailing
Cremated Remains.'' Faxed comments are not accepted.
Confidentiality
All submitted comments and attachments are part of the public
record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in your
comments that you consider to be confidential or inappropriate for
public disclosure.
You may inspect and photocopy all written comments, by appointment
only, at USPS[supreg] Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 11th
Floor North, Washington, DC, 20260. These records are available for
review on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.--4 p.m., by calling 202-268-
2906.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen F. Key at (202) 268-7492 or
Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service is proposing to amend
Publication 52 in various sections to:
1. Require the use of Label 139, Cremated Remains, on all domestic
or international mailpieces containing cremated remains.
2. Eliminate the use of Labels 11-B, 11-F, and 11-HFPU, for
domestic shipments containing cremated remains.
3. Limit the additional mailing services for mailpieces containing
cremated remains to insurance and return receipt.
Background
Publication 52 subsection 451.22 provides that a mailpiece
containing cremated remains (human or animal) must be shipped by
Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail Express International[supreg]
Service.
Publication 52 subsection 451.22b provides that the contents,
cremated remains, must be indicated on the applicable customs
declaration when addressed to an international destination. However, as
provided in subsections 451.22a and 451.22b, markings including the use
of Label 139 are optional on both domestic and international
mailpieces.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic
Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) section 115.2.0, provides that domestic
Priority Mail Express customers have the option to use a USPS-provided
Priority Mail Express label (11-B, 11-F, 11-HFPU) or single-ply
Priority Mail Express label generated through Click-N-Ship[supreg] or
other USPS-approved method.
DMM subsection 503.1.4.1, provides that mailpieces sent at Priority
Mail Express prices are eligible to have Adult Signature Services,
Collect on Delivery, additional insurance, and return receipt services
added.
Domestic Mail Manual section 507.3.0 provides that mailpieces sent
at Priority Mail Express prices are eligible for Hold For Pickup
service.
Proposal
To increase the visibility of mailpieces containing cremated
remains to postal employees and to ensure those mailpieces are more
secure for processing and timely delivery, the Postal Service is
proposing to require the use of Label 139 to be affixed to each side
(including top and bottom) of a Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail
Express International mailpiece containing cremated remains (USPS-
produced or customer supplied). As an alternative, the Postal Service
is introducing a special Priority Mail Express cremated remains branded
box (BOX-CRE) that may be used for domestic or international shipments
of cremated remains. The new Priority Mail Express cremated remains
branded box will be available as part of a kit that will be offered in
two versions. One kit will contain the box and a roll of tape. The
other kit will include the box, a self-sealing plastic bag, bubble
wrap, tape, and Publication 139, How to Package and Ship Cremated
Remains. Both kits can be ordered online at the Postal Store on
USPS.com[supreg].
To improve service, the Postal Service is proposing to provide an
option for retail customers to present a mailpiece containing cremated
remains at a Post Office\TM\ location and have a shipping label printed
and affixed. Customers will continue to have the option to use a
single-ply Priority Mail Express label generated through Click-N-Ship
or other USPS-approved method. If customers generate a single-ply
label, the Postal Service is proposing to require an Intelligent
Mail[supreg] package barcode (IMpb[supreg]) shipping label with the
appropriate service type code and banner text above the barcode (see
Publication 199) used for cremated remains domestic shipments. The
shipping services file must include the appropriate cremated remains
three-digit Extra Service Code for domestic and international shipments
(see Publication 199). The use of a Priority Mail Express Label 11-B,
11-F, and 11-HFPU, will no longer be accepted for cremated remains
domestic shipments.
As a result of improving service with the new shipping label
requirements, the Postal Service is proposing to limit the extra
services available when mailing cremated remains to additional
insurance and return receipt, and proposes to eliminate the option to
use Hold For Pickup service. Customers will continue to have the option
to request a signature.
In addition, the Postal Service will update Mailing Standards of
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg])
and International Mail Manual (IMM[supreg]), and Publication 139, How
to Package and Ship Cremated Remains, under separate cover.
[[Page 48960]]
The proposed revisions will enable the Postal Service to provide an
improved customer experience from sender to receiver.
Brittany M. Johnson,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2019-20009 Filed 9-16-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P