Amazon Cuts Plastic Use in North America, Following Campaigning by Oceana
20 Junio 2024 - 5:37AM
Today, Amazon announced that it has replaced 95% of the plastic air
pillows from delivery packaging in North America with 100% recycled
paper filler — a move that is, according to the company, expected
to “avoid nearly 15 billion plastic air pillows annually.” The
decision is part of Amazon’s “multi-year effort to remove plastic
delivery packaging from North America fulfillment centers.” This
announcement follows years of campaigning by Oceana and its allies
for the company to reduce its use of plastic packaging including
releasing reports on Amazon’s plastic packaging waste footprint,
campaigning outside the company’s headquarters, meeting with
company representatives, and advocating for shareholder
resolutions.
In response, Oceana released the following statement from Matt
Littlejohn, Oceana’s Senior Vice President of Strategic
Initiatives:
“As the world’s dominant e-commerce company, Amazon’s action to
reduce plastic packaging is welcome news for the oceans and the
company’s customers.
“In 2020, when e-commerce sales surged due to the global
pandemic, Oceana and our allies set out to push Amazon to reduce
its enormous use of plastic packaging. Now, four years later,
Amazon has announced it has effectively phased out plastic air
pillows in North America, including in the United States (its
largest market), Canada, and Mexico — markets accounting for
more than 70% of Amazon’s sales. Oceana’s most recent report found
that, in 2022, protective packaging, including plastic air pillows,
accounted for over one-third of all e-commerce plastic packaging by
weight globally. Plastic air pillows are made from the most common
form of marine plastic litter in nearshore ocean areas —
plastic film — which is also the deadliest type of plastic to large
marine animals. Plastic film, unlike its paper alternatives, is not
curbside recyclable or compostable. According to research by
YouGov, 85% of Amazon customers in the U.S. reported being
concerned about plastic pollution.
“While this is a significant step forward for the company,
Amazon needs to build on this momentum and fulfill its multiyear
commitment to transition its North America fulfillment centers away
from plastic. Then, the company should expand these efforts and
also push innovations like reusable packaging to move away from
single-use packaging everywhere it sells and ships."
Amazon’s move away from plastic air pillows in North America
follows the company’s phasing out of plastic air pillows in
Australia, and nearly all single-use plastic packaging (including
air pillows) in India and throughout Europe. Last year, the company
reported using 11.6% less plastic packaging globally in 2022
compared to the previous year.
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization
dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding
abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in
countries that control one-quarter of the world’s wild fish catch.
With more than 300 victories that stop overfishing, habitat
destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of
threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana’s
campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1
billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever.
Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world.
Visit Oceana.org to learn more.
Media
contacts: |
Gillian
Spolarich, gspolarich@oceana.org |
|
Anna Baxter, abaxter@oceana.org |