Stop Junk Mail has today launched a 'Junk Buster' application that makes it possible for UK residents to register with up to six junk mail opt-out schemes in one go.

Up till now householders wanting to reduce unsolicited mail had to contact the six main junk mail opt-out schemes in the UK separately. The Junk Buster, which can be found at junkbuster.org.uk, creates a one-point-stop for opting out of unsolicited mail.

The junk mail opt-out schemes people can contact via Junk Buster are:

• Mailing Preference Service. This is the best-known opt-out service in the UK. The MPS can reduce addressed junk mail by an estimated 50 per cent.
• Door-to-door opt-out. An opt-out operated by Royal Mail for householders wanting to stop unaddressed mail items delivered by the postman. Royal Mail delivers up to three leaflets per household per week, or 156 pieces of junk mail per year.
• Your Choice. A new opt-out scheme which aims to stop unaddressed mail delivered by members of the Direct Marketing Association.

In addition, people can use Junk Buster to contact the three main paper directories delivered door-to-door in the UK: the Yellow Pages, Thomson Local and BT Telephone Directory.

A big difference

Junk Buster can reduce unsolicited mail by up to 60 per cent, or 11.3 kilos per annum. Robert Rijkhoff, the group's co-ordinator, explained: "The schemes people can contact via Junk Buster are the most effective opt-out schemes in the UK. Registering with the schemes will not stop junk mail completely but it will make a big difference.

"I hope Junk Buster will encourage householders to reduce paper waste. It is nonsense that tens of millions of paper directories are delivered door-to-door in the UK every year. Many of these books are never used and you would think that it makes sense for companies such as Yell, Thomson Local and BT to advertise the fact that people can opt out. Unfortunately, they do not. There is no mention of the existence of the opt-outs on the companies' websites or in the directories themselves. As a result, few people use the opt-outs available to them. Junk Buster is here to change this.

"Of course there is more that people can do to stop junk mail. In particular, to further reduce unaddressed mail people can get a 'No Junk Mail' sign. A good measure to prevent addressed junk mail opting out of being listed on the Edited Electoral Register. This version of the electoral roll is used by bulk mailers to create junk mail lists; having your name and address on this list is asking for junk mail."