Enviros applauds Amazon’s plastic packaging reduction

The world’s largest online retailer announced its biggest-ever reduction in plastic packaging, a move that environmental critics called a “significant step forward.”

Amazon said Thursday that it has replaced plastic airbags with recycled paper fillers in 95 percent of packages in its North American fulfillment centers, and it aims to reach 100 percent by the end of this year.

The nonprofit Oceana estimates that in 2022, these plastic airbags accounted for more than one-third of the total mass of plastic e-commerce packaging worldwide.

“I am proud of Amazon’s collaboration that has positively impacted customers’ delivery experiences with more recyclable materials,” Pat Lindner, Amazon’s vice president of mechatronics and sustainable packaging, said in a statement. “This is a great example of how we carefully test and scale new solutions to protect our customers’ experiences.”