Method and system for identifying mail pieces having similar attributes to suspected contaminated mail pieces

A postal unit for induction of mail comprising:

• an interface to provide communication between a data center and the postal unit, the data center providing data associated with a suspected contaminated mail piece to the postal unit, the data including attributes of the suspected contaminated mail piece;
• an imaging system to capture an image of a mail piece being inducted;
• and
• a controller coupled to the imaging system and the interface, the controller comparing at least one attribute of the mail piece being inducted with the attributes of the suspected contaminated mail piece received from the data center.

A method for identifying a mail piece having a similar attribute to a suspected contaminated mail piece comprising the steps of:

• receiving data associated with a suspected contaminated mail piece from a data center, the data including attributes of the suspected contaminated mail piece;
• capturing an image of a mail piece being inducted;
• and
• comparing at least one attribute of the mail piece being inducted, using the captured image, with the attributes of the suspected contaminated mail piece received from the data center.

A method for inducting mail comprising the steps of:

• determining if a first mail piece being inducted at a first postal unit is contaminated;
• sending information associated with the first mail piece from the first postal unit to a data center if the first mail piece is suspected of being contaminated;
• sending at least a portion of the information associated with the first mail piece from the data center to a second postal unit, the at least a portion of the information including attributes of the first mail piece;
• capturing an image of a second mail piece being inducted at the second postal unit;
• and
• comparing, at the second postal unit, at least one attribute of the second mail piece with the attributes of the first mail piece received from the data center.