Amazon has unveiled its largest plastic packaging cut in North America.
Takeaway Points
- Amazon has unveiled its largest plastic packaging cut in North America.
- The aim is to reduce the packaging and ensure that customers receive their items undamaged.
- On Oct 18, 2023, Amazon announced its first U.S. automated fulfillment center in Ohio to eliminate plastic delivery packaging.
Amazon promotes sustainability by transitioning from plastic to paper filler.
Amazon, on Thursday, announced its largest reduction in plastic packaging in North America to date. The aim is to reduce the packaging and ensure that customers receive their items undamaged, while still promoting sustainability.
According to the report, the company aims to remove 95% of their plastic air pillows as a way to reduce packaging and as part of its multi-year effort to remove plastic delivery packaging from North America fulfillment centers.
Pat Lindner, VP of Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging, said in a comment that the plastic packaging reduction is an example of how they provide new solutions to protect their customers, and they are working towards full removal in North America by the end of the year.
“I’m proud of the cross-Amazon collaboration to make a positive impact on the customer delivery experience with easier to recycle materials. It’s a great example of how we thoughtfully test and scale new solutions to protect our customer experience. We are working towards full removal in North America by end of year and will continue to innovate, test, and scale in order to prioritize curbside recyclable materials.” Pat said.
Christian Garcia, fulfillment Associate at our BFL1 fulfillment center in Bakersfield, California said, “We’ve found that our teammates in our fulfillment centers love it, too. I’m so excited we’re changing over to paper. It’s not only easier to work with, but the machinery gives us more space so it’s easier to pack orders. And I’m proud to be a part of a change that allows customers to recycle at home.”
When did it all start?
On Oct 18, 2023, Amazon announced its first U.S. automated fulfillment center in Ohio to eliminate plastic delivery packaging. According to the report, with the work in Ohio and continuous testing, they changed from plastic air pillows to paper filler.
Pat Lindner, VP of Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging at Amazon, said, “This is a major milestone for our U.S. fulfillment centers, and I’m incredibly proud of the teams that developed new technologies to eliminate plastic packaging. This is just the beginning, as we continue to discover more ways to eliminate and reduce plastic packaging for our customers.”
According to the release, to create a solution that was lighter, smaller, and curbside recyclable, Amazon packaging engineers redesigned machines that use a built-in sensor to identify the correct size for non-padded paper packaging of products like clothes, kitchen supplies, and sports equipment.
Amazon’s substantial decrease in plastic packaging represents a commendable stride towards sustainability in North America. By emphasizing eco-friendly alternatives and minimizing waste, Amazon not only sets a commendable precedent but also fulfills the rising consumer expectation for environmentally conscious practices. This effort not only contributes positively to the environment but also bolsters Amazon’s brand reputation as a pioneer in corporate sustainability initiatives.
