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11mo ago

Amazon Eliminates Plastic Air Pillows in North America

The e-commerce giant replaces 95% of plastic packaging with recycled paper, aiming for full removal by year-end.

Deflated plastic air pillows. (GeekWire Photo / Alan Boyle)
Packages ride a conveyor belt at an Amazon facility on Thursday Oct. 5, 2023.
An employee packs a box at the Amazon.com Inc. fulfillment center on Cyber Monday in Robbinsville, New Jersey, U.S., on Monday, Nov. 30, 2015. Online sales on Cyber Monday may rise at least 18 percent from a year earlier, slower growth than during the holiday weekend, as consumers start their Internet shopping earlier, according to forecasts by International Business Machines Corp. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Overview

  • Amazon will replace nearly 15 billion plastic air pillows annually with paper filler.
  • The new packaging material is made from 100% recycled content and is curbside recyclable.
  • This move marks Amazon's largest plastic packaging reduction effort in North America.
  • The change comes as part of Amazon's broader sustainability initiatives, including AI and robotics for recycling.
  • Environmental groups welcome the change but urge Amazon to further reduce its plastic footprint.