In an agreement with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the DMA has agreed to reduce the amount of direct mail waste that ends up in landfill.
The first target will be to see the amount of materials recycled increase to 30% by 2005, to 55% by 2009 and to 70% by 2013.
As part of the plan, kerbside collection of recyclable DM materials will be introduced, which will see it collected along with other materials such as newspapers.
The DMA is producing guidelines to help member agencies and companies meet these targets through using recyclable materials.
The Mailing Preference Service is also to be promoted to consumers -- in association with environmental campaigning organisation Planet Ark, set up by tennis star Pat Cash -- to improve targeting of mailings by DMA members, which will in turn help the industry lose its 'junk mail' label.
DMA director of development and postal affairs David Robottom said: "This initiative will be promoted heavily to the DMA membership and wider industry through a range of communication activities; we will also be working with member companies to ensure the effective implementation of the scheme and to meet the targets set."
The move will help improve the image of direct marketing and will help consumers learn about the Mailing Preference Service, which allows consumers to opt out of receiving up to 95% of direct mail.
Robottom added: "We are committed as an industry to reduce direct mail waste in a sustainable way so that we can find a fair balance between industry and consumer needs."
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