Simple question, is it illegal to poop in a ziplock bag and mail it to someone? Is my dung a hazerdous material?
I asked that to a postal worker years ago and he said the boss was out and he couldn’t answer my question. Can you?
SP
I hope not, 'cause I called upon the USPS to deliver a stool sample to the doctor’s office. This was in an envelope that was specially marked “biohazard.” And it was only a few smears on a piece of paper, but there are some things where quantity doesn’t matter, and I’d say shit’s one of em (“oh, but sir, there’s only a tiny amount of shit in your soup…”)
As for what would happen if you were to mail a full-grown grogan to somebody, in an unmarked package, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were illegal. And the recipient of said turd could press charges as well, and the extra courtesy of a ziplock bag would only be a marginally mitigating circumstance.
I can only speak as an employee of Australia Post, not the USPS, but here the “transmission by mail of offensive material is an offence punishable by law”.
However, certain biological specimens are allowed to be posted, subject to extremely strict packing and labelling requirements. Posting of potentially infectious items involves about four stages of sealed packaging, warning labelling, and advance notification to facilities which will be handling the item.
As a fellow member of the Universal Postal Union, I can assume that the United States Postal service has a similar, if not identical, stance.
I can only speak as an employee of Australia Post, not the USPS, but here the “transmission by mail of offensive material is an offence punishable by law”.
However, certain biological specimens are allowed to be posted, subject to extremely strict packing and labelling requirements. Posting of potentially infectious items involves about four stages of sealed packaging, warning labelling, and advance notification to facilities which will be handling the item.
In other words, unless you are a pathology unit at a hospital, or a lab of some sort, mailing a blind mullet to one o’ yer mates in a paper bag as a prank, is not on.
As a fellow member of the Universal Postal Union, I can assume that the United States Postal service has a similar, if not identical, stance.
[rant]
Why in the HELL can I never find a link when I WANT it, but any other time, it pops right the hell up?!
[/rant]
I can’t find the link (glare), but not too long ago, a woman was arrested for mailing soiled panties through the mail. I’m also pretty sure bodily fluids and/or wastes are on the restricted poster at the PO. As we all know, that never stopped anyone (ie the five hundred billion used panty sales on eBay).
Out of curiousity, who are you mailing poo to and why? This sounds interesting!!
Sharon Osbourne apparently mailed poo to someone in a Tiffany box, more then once according to her, so it can be done. Now whether she sent it through the regular mail or via courier, that’s anyone’s guess. 
A doctor once had me mail him a sample via a little card you were supposed to smear the feces on, fold a flap over, seal and affix postage to (as he put it, “I get a lot of shit in the mail.”). I don’t recall it being marked in any particularly alarming way, though it may have said something like “biological specimen” on it.
Yeah, but just because she didn’t get caught doesn’t make it legal.
I know someone who, as a teen, mailed a joint of marijuana across the country – that’s definitely not legal either but “it can be done.”
(Note: Don’t even think about doing such a thing.)
Isn’t there some website where you can pay them to send dog feces to your enemies? Who knows if they’ve gotten in trouble for it, though.
I know exactly the web site that you’re thinking of, and I used it about 2 years ago. Unfortunately after 9/11 they put a disclaimer up on their site which said that they were no longer allowed to use actually real steaming fresh, German Shepherd poo, but instead were reduced to using plastic/fiberglass models.
MEH. I want REAL Dog Crap to send to my enemies, not this fake crap.
MEH.
No, I can’t remember the web address or name.
the one with the dog poop was http://www.dogdoo.com
We send faecal/tissue samples to the Department of Primary Industries or path labs etc by courier. It’s just easier, because they usually are better equipped to keep them refrigerated etc.
Can you e-mail feces?
[Familiar AOL voice]
You’ve got POOP!
[/Familiar AOL voice]
Sharon’s not exactly an example of model, law-abiding behavior!
The only thing I know is that it is illegal to mail a hemoccult sample. If you don’t know what that is, it is a few fecal smears on a hunk of cardboard behind a cardboard flap. They test it for hidden blood (that’s the “occult” part).
Looks like no, unless the material is specifically for medical/research purposes, and then it is under other restrictions. I found this link on the USPS website: C023: Hazardous Materials. Section 8.2b specifies excretia (human or animal) among other restricted items.
Argh, I meant to say no, in that it is not legal. I forgot that the OP phrased it as “is it illegal”.