Amazon, one of the largest e-commerce giants in the world, has been facing criticism over its growing plastic waste production in the US. Despite making promises to reduce plastic packaging, a recent report by the nonprofit organization Oceana revealed that Amazon’s plastic waste has actually increased. In 2022 alone, the company generated a staggering 208 million pounds of plastic waste from its packaging, a nearly 10 percent jump from the previous year. This amount of plastic waste is enough to circle the Earth more than 200 times in the form of plastic air pillows.
One of the major concerns highlighted by Oceana is the lack of transparency in Amazon’s reporting on plastic waste. The company’s latest sustainability report does not provide a breakdown of plastic waste by country, nor does it account for all the plastic waste generated by third-party sellers fulfilling orders through the platform. Oceana had to rely on market data from external sources to conduct its analysis and make adjustments based on public statements from Amazon regarding waste reduction measures.
In response to Oceana’s report, Amazon’s vice president of mechatronics and sustainable packaging, Pat Lindner, dismissed the findings as “misleading” and “exaggerated.” He pointed to the company’s efforts to eliminate plastic delivery packaging from its US automated fulfillment centers over a multi-year period. Amazon has already made progress in Europe and India by phasing out single-use plastic delivery bags, but the transition has been slower in the US.
The Slow Transition to Sustainable Alternatives
While Amazon has made some commitments to reduce plastic waste, such as phasing out padded bags containing plastics in favor of recyclable alternatives, the company has not set a definitive timeline for these changes. In 2023, a fulfillment center in Ohio became the first in the US to replace plastic delivery packaging with paper alternatives, but more progress is needed to address the overall plastic waste issue in the country.
Plastic film bags, commonly used for packaging, are not easily recyclable through curbside recycling programs. This poses a challenge for consumers who are looking to divert plastic waste from landfills and incinerators. Amazon customers who want to recycle these plastic film bags would need to take them to designated drop-off locations, as they are not accepted in regular recycling programs.
Oceana is urging Amazon to take more decisive action in reducing plastic waste in the US, as the country remains a major source of plastic pollution for the e-commerce giant. The organization emphasizes the importance of transparency in reporting and setting clear goals for waste reduction. By phasing out plastic packaging and implementing sustainable alternatives, Amazon can make significant strides in addressing the environmental impact of its operations.
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