Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Amazon’s Big Role in Ocean Plastic Pollution

The report found that Amazon’s estimated plastic packaging waste, in the form of air pillows alone, would circle the Earth more than 500 times.

The study also, by combining the e-commerce packaging data with findings from a recent study published in Science,[2] estimates that up to 22.44 million pounds of Amazon’s plastic packaging waste entered and polluted the world’s freshwater and marine ecosystems in 2019, the equivalent of dumping a delivery van payload of plastic into the oceans every 70 minutes.

“The amount of plastic waste generated by the company is staggering and growing at a frightening rate,” noted Oceana’s Senior Vice President, Matt Littlejohn. “Our study found that the plastic packaging and waste generated by Amazon’s packages is mostly destined, not for recycling, but for the landfill, the incinerator, or the environment including, unfortunately, our waterways and sea, where plastic can harm marine life. It’s time for Amazon to listen to its customers, who, according to recent surveys want plastic-free alternatives, and make real commitments to reduce its plastic footprint.”

Plastic is a major source of pollution and is devastating the world’s oceans. Recent studies estimated that 90% of all seabirds[3] and more than half of all sea turtles – 52%[4]  –  have ingested plastic. Sea turtles and other ocean animals mistake the kind of plastic used by Amazon as food, which can ultimately prove fatal. Eighty-eight percent of animals found to have swallowed or have been entangled in plastic, according to a recent Oceana study, were species listed as endangered or threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act.[5] Scientific reports have estimated that only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled and 91% has ended up in landfills, incinerated, or in the environment, including the oceans.[6] The rapidly growing plastic pollution crisis needs to be solved by major plastic polluters like Amazon taking steps to reduce plastics, rather than making empty claims about recycling.

The report discloses that the type of plastic often used in packaging by Amazon, referred to as plastic film, is effectively not recycled, despite the company’s claims of recyclability. Most municipal curbside recycling programs in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom do not accept this kind of plastic. According to studies, only 4% of residential polyethylene plastic film in the United States was recycled as of 2014.[7]

The report also found that:

• Amazon customers overwhelmingly want the company to reduce plastic packaging. Oceana surveyed more than 5,000 Amazon customers in the U.S., Canada, and the UK in 2020 and found that 86% were concerned about plastic pollution and its impact on the oceans; 92% were upset that plastic recycling does not work; and 87% wanted Amazon and other major online retailers to offer plastic-free packaging choices at checkout. More than 660,000 customers and others have signed a petition calling on the company to offer plastic-free choices at Change.org/Plastic Free Choice.
• Unlike other companies seeking to move away from plastic, Amazon appears to be prioritizing the increased use of “flexible packaging” made of plastic. It has stated it uses flexible packaging to help protect the climate and environment,[8] but has not publicly disclosed the data underlying this claim or its plastic footprint.
• Amazon has already shown it can rapidly reduce plastic packaging on a very large scale. After India passed a law to fight plastic pollution, Amazon eliminated plastic packaging from fulfillment centers in India[9] and has introduced a paper-based lightweight mailer that it reports has been used 100 million times.[10] Amazon has failed to apply these clear steps forward on a company-wide level to solve its plastic problem.
• Amazon’s plastic waste and pollution footprint is expected to drastically increase, given analysts’ recent estimates that the company sales will increase by more than a third in 2020.[11]

The report calls on Amazon to reduce its plastic footprint and:

• Listen to its customers: As an immediate measure, Amazon should give its customers what they want and offer plastic-free packaging as an option at checkout.
• Be fully transparent and hold itself accountable for its plastic footprint and environmental impact as it already has for climate change: Amazon should report on its plastic footprint on a regular basis. This data should be independently verified.
• Eliminate plastic packaging as it has already done in India. Amazon should also increase products shipped in reusable containers and adopt policies that can be demonstrated to reduce plastic pollution rather than making empty claims about “recyclability.”

To access the full Oceana report, please visit oceana.org/PlasticFreeAmazon. To find out about Oceana’s campaign to reduce plastics, go to oceana.org/plastics.

About Oceana:

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-third of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 225 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit www.oceana.org to learn more.

Link to Media Assets

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

New intergovernmental report calls for 100% sustainable ocean management by 2025, 14 world leaders commit to increase abundance

Today, the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), composed of 14 serving world leaders, committed to restore and sustainably harvest their wild ocean fish... Read More

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Oceana and Blancpain Announce Exclusive Partnership

Washington, D.C. – Oceana, the largest international organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation, has announced Blancpain as its exclusive watch partner, working together to further Oceana’s campaigns to... Read More

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Jane Fonda honored at Oceana’s star-studded New York Gala

New York,  New York – On Monday night, attendees tuned in for the first ever virtual Oceana New York Gala to honor two-time Academy Award-winning actor, author, and... Read More

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Prime Day 2020: Amazon (AMZN) generates historic flood of unwanted plastic packaging, Oceana says

. Oceana is calling on the company, given its exponentially increasing plastic footprint, to take action to reduce plastic packaging and to offer plastic-free packaging as an option at checkout for its consumers.

“Amazon’s customers are going to be left with a giant post Prime Day plastic packaging hangover of plastic waste that they don’t want, can’t easily recycle and haven’t asked for because the company won’t address its plastic problem,” said Matthew Littlejohn, Senior Vice President of Oceana. “Amazon has shown that it can offer alternatives to plastic packaging, in India and elsewhere, and needs to listen to its customers and take steps to reduce plastic use and pollution particularly given its recent record growth in the midst of a global pandemic.”

According to news reports, Amazon shipped approximately 7 billion packages in 2019, many packed in plastic, and this was prior to the company’s record sales in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[2] Only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled; the rest has been landfilled, burned, or gone on to pollute the world’s oceans and natural environment.^[3] Tens of thousands of individual marine organisms have been observed suffering from entanglement or ingestion of plastics permeating the marine environment—from zooplankton and fish, to sea turtles, marine mammals, and seabirds.

“Amazon’s customers, especially Prime customers, are increasingly concerned about the impact of plastic pollution on the seas,” said Littlejohn. “Polls commissioned by Oceana in the U.S., UK, and Canada – with YouGov and Abacus Data – found in the aggregate that more than 87% of those surveyed who reported being Amazon Prime members said they were concerned about plastic pollution and its impact on the ocean, and 35% of those surveyed in the U.S. who reported being Prime customers noted that they would consider shopping at other online retailers that offer plastic-free shipping.”

Oceana urges Amazon customers and Prime members to join the 630,000 concerned individuals who have signed a petition asking for the company to offer plastic-free packaging and to also directly contact Amazon customer service to ask for a plastic-free packaging choice at checkout for our oceans and our future. “The company listens to its customers,” added Littlejohn, “you can make a difference for the oceans by making sure they hear your concerns and by helping Oceana to get the company to acknowledge and reduce its plastic footprint.”

To access the complete referenced survey results, please visit oceana.org/PlasticFreeAmazon. To find out about Oceana’s campaign to reduce plastics, go to oceana.org/plastics.

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-third of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 225 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit www.oceana.org to learn more.

Monday, September 28, 2020

Oceana Announces Sam Waterston New Chair of Board of Directors

Washington, DC – Oceana, the world’s largest ocean conservation organization, announced new leadership for its Board of Directors. Actor and long-time Oceana Board Member Sam Waterston was elected... Read More

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Leonardo DiCaprio and Sting headline Oceana’s Virtual SeaChange Summer Party

On Saturday, August 22, supporters tuned in for the first ever virtual SeaChange Summer Party to benefit Oceana, the world’s largest ocean conservation organization. The annual event, in... Read More