Amazon's Plastic Packaging | Oceana

Amazon’s Plastic Packaging

The Problem

Plastic is a major source of pollution for the world’s oceans. Scientists now estimate 33 billion pounds of plastic wash into the ocean every year. Plastic packaging harms marine life and biodiversity when it enters the marine environment. Sea turtles and other animals mistake the kind of plastic used by Amazon – such as plastic bags – for food. Studies have estimated that individuals from 55% of seabird species, 70% of marine mammal species, and 100% of sea turtle species have ingested or become entangled in plastic.

What Amazon Should Do

It is clear that Amazon can solve its plastic problem. Oceana has advocated for Amazon to reduce its plastic packaging use since 2020. Since then, Amazon has made significant strides to reduce its plastic footprint, including:

  • Eliminated plastic air pillows globally from its delivery packages and replaced them with recycled paper filler.
  • Reducing or eliminating single-use plastic packaging throughout Europe and India.
  • Published its plastic footprint, excluding third-party sellers, for the first time.
  • Announced in its 2022 sustainability report that its overall use of single-use plastic across its global operations network (i.e., orders shipped through its fulfillment centers) declined by 11.6% from 2021 to 2022.
  • Committed to “phasing out padded bags containing plastics in favor of recyclable alternatives.”

Amazon’s reduction in plastic use is good news for the oceans. But there’s still more to do. Amazon should make a global commitment to move away from single-use plastic packaging and facilitate a switch to reuse systems wherever possible. The company should continue to publicly report on its plastic packaging footprint for all products sold through Amazon’s website and report and take responsibility for the full climate impacts of all products sold and packaging use through Amazon’s website.

News & Reports

Press Releases

More Press Releases >

Reports

More Reports >

FEATURED CAMPAIGN

Save the Oceans, Feed the World

We are restoring the world’s wild fish populations to serve as a sustainable source of protein for people.

Learn More

More Campaigns

Protect Habitat

Bycatch

Plastics

View All

CONTACT

Oceana International Headquarters
1025 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036 USA

General Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
info@oceana.org

Donation Inquiries
+1(202)-996-7174
wavemaker@oceana.org

Press Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
press@oceana.org

OCEANA'S EFFICIENCY

BECOME A WAVEMAKER

Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT WITH A DONATION

We have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.

Donate Now

QUICK LINKS: