PostNL worker dumps three weeks of mail in trash; hundreds of residents affected

A post worker in the Netherlands was caught dumping three weeks of mail in the trash, affecting hundreds of frustrated residents in Hengelo.

PostNL worker dumps mail in trash

Hundreds of Hengelo residents lost three weeks of mail after a postal worker at PostNL dumped the mail in a waste paper container, which quickly became emptied, destroying every parcel. PostNL disclosed that the blame was on the temporary worker covering for the regular employee of the Veldwijk Noord and Groot Driene districts, who went on holiday.

“The temporary deliverer withheld and threw away the mail, resulting in the loss for these neighbourhoods,” stated PostNL, adding that the offender was immediately dismissed. “We are currently investigating what further steps we can take.”

PostNL realized that something had occurred when multiple residents reported to the local Press De Twentsche Courant that they hadn´t received mail in weeks. Residents said they had been waiting for important mail, including credit cards, medical results, and court documents, among others.

Twente Milieu, which manages the public container in the area confirmed that the missing mail had been delivered to the waste paper container and was gone without return; “We could no longer do anything for them (PostNL). The contents were immediately taken to the waste processor Remondis in Enschede.” 

An employee for the waste processor also confirmed; “If that container arrived here at the end of last week, its contents are long gone. There´s nothing left of it.”

Reactions to PostNL worker dumping mail in trash

Hengelo´s residents were baffled at the incident, as one of the affected residents Linda Koel said to the local Press; “I hope PostNL takes measures to prevent situations like this from happening again. Because this can´t be right. The only good thing is that our mail isn´t lying on the street somewhere, ending up in the wrong hands. There must be confidential information in it.”

PostNL spokesperson Tessa de Jong referenced the incident as “a very annoying and unacceptable situation,” and advised the affected residents to “contact the sender of their mail for a suitable solution.” The residents will soon receive an apology letter from PostNL.