Post Office To Ban Shipping Items With Lithium Overseas
By: Garret Krier
Updated: May 14, 2012
An important piece of military morale will soon not be available to our troops overseas. The United States Post Office says it will no longer allow cell phones, or anything containing Lithium to be shipped beyond our shores.
Mesha Farris's daughter Rhiannon is headed into the military next year. "She is going to be joining the national guard," said Farris.
Farris is worried about a United States Postal Service overseas shipping ban, starting Wednesday, on all products containing Lithium, including cell phones, G.P.S devices and mp3-players.
"If their family needs to be able to ship them these things, it is very important because that has to do with their attitude and their frame of mind," said Farris.
Fayetteville Postmaster Jeremy Coffey says the U.S.P.S did not implement the change and that the Universal Postal Union, which controls overseas shipments, made the decision.
"The last thing we want to do is inhibit someone communicating with their spouse or their loved one," said Coffey. And, many private companies will not ship to military bases overseas.
So Coffey says the U.S.P.S. is working with the Universal Postal union to make some exceptions. "What I have heard is it would be allowing us to ship items that have Lithium batteries that are intended for use. In other words, if you have a bad ipad or you just want to get rid of a battery you are not going to be able to ship that through us," said Coffey.
Rhiannan and her mom just hope a compromise is decided before she heads out. "We are defending our country for everybody else to have a good life and be able to have the things they need," said Rhiannan.
The U.S.P.S. hopes to have a compromise worked out by January 1st, 2013.
Mesha Farris's daughter Rhiannon is headed into the military next year. "She is going to be joining the national guard," said Farris.
Farris is worried about a United States Postal Service overseas shipping ban, starting Wednesday, on all products containing Lithium, including cell phones, G.P.S devices and mp3-players.
"If their family needs to be able to ship them these things, it is very important because that has to do with their attitude and their frame of mind," said Farris.
Fayetteville Postmaster Jeremy Coffey says the U.S.P.S did not implement the change and that the Universal Postal Union, which controls overseas shipments, made the decision.
"The last thing we want to do is inhibit someone communicating with their spouse or their loved one," said Coffey. And, many private companies will not ship to military bases overseas.
So Coffey says the U.S.P.S. is working with the Universal Postal union to make some exceptions. "What I have heard is it would be allowing us to ship items that have Lithium batteries that are intended for use. In other words, if you have a bad ipad or you just want to get rid of a battery you are not going to be able to ship that through us," said Coffey.
Rhiannan and her mom just hope a compromise is decided before she heads out. "We are defending our country for everybody else to have a good life and be able to have the things they need," said Rhiannan.
The U.S.P.S. hopes to have a compromise worked out by January 1st, 2013.
