Amazon Replaces Plastic Packing Air-Pillows with Recycled Paper Fillers in North America, Following Campaigning by Oceana
Press Release Date: June 20, 2024
Media contacts: Vaishali Dassani, Oceana Canada, vdassani@oceana.ca, 647-294-3335; Angela Pinzon, Pilot PMR, angela.pinzon@pilotpmr.com, 647-295-0517.
Toronto, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples — 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. Below is Oceana Canada’s response from Senior Plastics Campaigner, Anthony Merante:
“Amazon has started taking steps to reduce plastic packaging. Amazon’s plastic packaging footprint stood at 271 million kilograms in 2020, with most of that packaging ending up in landfill or the environment. Today, Amazon announced it has phased out nearly all plastic air pillows in Canada, Mexico and the US — markets which account for more than 70% of Amazon’s sales. In Canada specifically, Amazon has historically had a disproportionately large plastic footprint, generating an estimated 21,300 tonnes of plastic waste in 2019.
Ending plastic pollution is critical. Scientists have found plastics in the deepest part of the oceans, it is choking sea turtles and killing seabirds. As the world’s dominant e-commerce company, Amazon’s action to reduce plastic packaging is a welcome news for the oceans.
E-commerce is one of the fastest growing sectors in Canada and one that is plagued with unnecessary single-use plastics. From non-recyclable polystyrene and packing peanuts to air pillows and shrink wrap, there has been a spike in these environment-bound plastics over the last few years. Oceana Canada’s 2023 report, Breaking the Plastic Cycle, highlights that over 60, 000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated by the e-commerce sector every year – a number that could now be zero if the sector continues to make phase out these problematic products. The move to eliminate unnecessary single-use plastics in North American e-commerce sets a new standard for the industry.
This vision of a plastic pollution-free future is what Canadian consumers want. Recent polling has shown that globally, more than 85% of people want to end plastic pollution, with that number being even higher among Canadians at 90%.
Oceana Canada was established as an independent charity in 2015 and is part of the largest international advocacy group dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana Canada has successfully campaigned to ban single-use plastics, end the shark fin trade, make rebuilding depleted fish populations the law, improve the way fisheries are managed and protect marine habitat. We work with civil society, academics, fishers, Indigenous Peoples and the federal government to return Canada’s formerly vibrant oceans to health and abundance. By restoring Canada’s oceans, we can strengthen our communities, reap greater economic and nutritional benefits and protect our future. Find out more at www.oceana.ca.