(April 25, 2013) – As widely reported in the news, authorities have now released (without charges) the original suspect who had been arrested in connection with the suspicious and potentially dangerous letters containing ricin that were addressed to the White House and to Congressional offices.  Authorities are now investigating another person of interest in this case.

As previously reported, testing of the envelopes by federal authorities, including the FBI, has confirmed that the envelopes actually contained ricin.  Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries to any mail handlers or others exposed to these letters, and the likelihood of any ongoing health threat is near zero.

All mail handlers should continue to be extremely careful if they encounter unknown powders or other substances while handling the mail.  If you should identify or encounter such mail, you should isolate the letter or package without any further handling of it, clear the area of other employees, notify your supervisor and the Postal Inspection Service, wash your hands or other exposed areas with soap and water, and follow your local emergency action plan.

The bottom line is that the safety of all mail handlers and other postal employees must be our primary concern. 

We will continue to provide updates as they may be needed.