FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         	              
Contact: Burton St. John or October 24, 2003					      
Diane Todd, 609-581-6062/6093                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                   
www.usps.gov

POSTAL SERVICE BEGINS DECONTAMINATION 
OF TRENTON FACILITY

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ - The Postal Service begins the decontamination of 
the Trenton Processing and Distribution Center tonight, with the 
introduction of chlorine dioxide gas into the facility at about 4 p.m.  
Once the chlorine dioxide gas concentration reaches 750 parts per 
million throughout the facility, estimated to occur between 6-9 p.m., 
the decontamination process begins and will last through Saturday 
morning. The fumigation will take about 12 hours.

	"Our primary concern has always been the safety of our 
employees, the safety of the communities we serve, and the safety of the 
mail," said Tom Day, Postal Service Vice President of Engineering. 
"Reaching this key moment is a result of a partnership among involved 
federal, state and local agencies. We have worked together and took the 
time to do this right," said Day. "Tonight we will apply the technology 
that was used to successfully decontaminate the Postal Service 
Curseen-Morris Processing and Distribution Center in Washington, DC."

	"We've taken extensive steps to ensure the safety of everyone 
living nearby," said Day. "The entire building is sealed to prevent the 
escape of chlorine dioxide." 

The Trenton facility, located in Hamilton Township, has been closed 
since      October 18, 2001, after it was contaminated by anthrax spores 
released by letters processed there.

          Members of the community who have questions about the process 
can call a toll-free information line at 1-800-527-0741.  The deaf and 
hard of hearing can access the information line through TTY 
1-800-418-5301.  Additional information is available at  www.usps.com.  
Click on "News and Events," then "Serving the Community," then "Security 
of the Mail," for the fact sheets and answers to the most frequently 
asked questions.

Note: The next general update for the media will be at the temporary 
Joint Information Center (JIC) at 9 a.m. Saturday. The JIC is 
approximately one-half mile south of the Trenton facility, at 555 Route 
130 South, near the temporary site of the Trenton Post Office.



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