Amazon is shifting from the plastic air pillows used for packaging in North America to recycled paper because it's more environmentally sound, and it says paper just works better.
The company said Thursday that it's already replaced 95% of the plastic air pillows with paper filler in North America and is working toward complete removal by year's end.
“We want to ensure that customers receive their items undamaged, while using as little packaging as possible to avoid waste, and prioritizing recyclable materials,” Amazon said.
It is the company's largest plastic packaging reduction effort in North America to date and will remove almost 15 billion plastic air pillows from use annually.
Almost all customer deliveries for Prime Day this year, which happens next month, will contain plastic no air pillows, according to Amazon.
The e-commerce giant has faced years of criticism about its use of plastic from environmental groups, including a nonprofit called Oceana, which has been releasing its own reports on Amazon’s use of plastic packaging.
Matt Littlejohn, senior vice president of strategic initiatives at Oceana, said that Amazon's efforts to reduce plastic packaging is welcome news, but that there's still more that the company can do.
“While this is a significant step forward for the company, Amazon needs to build on this momentum and fulfill its multiyear commitment to transition its North America fulfillment centers away from plastic,” Littlejohn said in a prepared statement. "Then, the company should expand these efforts and also push innovations like reusable packaging to move away from single-use packaging everywhere it sells and ships.”
There has also been broad support among Amazon investors who have urged the company to outline how will will reduce waste.
The company disclosed the total of single-use plastic across global operations for the first time in 2022 after investors sought more details on plans to reduce waste. The company said that it used 85,916 metric tons of single-use plastic that year, an 11.6% decrease from 2021.
Amazon began transition away from plastic air pillows in October at an automated fulfillment center in Ohio. The company said that it was able to test and learn at the center there, which helped it move quickly on transitioning to recycled paper filling.
The transition process included changing out machinery and training employees on new systems and machines.
Amazon discovered through testing that the paper filler, which is made from 100% recyclable content and is curbside recyclable, offers the same, if not better protection during shipping compared with plastic air pillows, the company said.
Christian Garcia, who works at Amazon's fulfillment center in Bakersfield, California, said in a release that the paper filler is easier to work with and that the machinery gives staff more space so that it's easier to pack orders.
Ongoing efforts to reduce waste include a campaign to ship items without any additional packaging, the company said. In 2022, 11% of all of Amazon's packages shipped worldwide were without added delivery packaging.
Other efforts include piloting new technology with artificial intelligence and robotics company Glacier to use AI-powered robots to automate the sorting of recyclables and collect real-time data on recycling streams for companies. It's also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy on new materials and recycling programs.
FILE - The Amazon logo is seen, June 15, 2023, at the Vivatech show in Paris. Amazon is moving from putting plastic air pillows in its packages to using recycled paper filling instead, a move that's more environmentally friendly and secures items in boxes better. The company said Thursday, June 20, 2024 that it's already replaced 95% of the plastic air fillers with paper filler in North America and is working toward complete removal by year's end. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wasn't with his better-known rivals, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, when they debated Thursday in Atlanta.
But Kennedy responded in real time to the same questions — about inflation, the COVID-19 response and abortion — that were posed to Biden and Trump in an unusual livestream on the social platform X. Host John Stossell kept Kennedy's answers to the same strict time constraints imposed on the other candidates.
Standing alone on a stage in Los Angeles, Kennedy opened his event, dubbed The Real Debate, by accusing CNN, host of the main contest, of colluding with the Republican and Democratic parties to keep him off.
“This is something that’s important for our democracy because Americans feel like the system is rigged,” Kennedy said during his opening remarks. “This is exactly the kind of merger of state and corporate power that I’m running to oppose.”
Aside from the livestreamed response to the debate, Kennedy has nothing on his public schedule for the coming weeks. Nor does his running mate, philanthropist Nicole Shanahan.
After a busy spring hopscotching the country for a mix of political rallies, fundraisers and nontraditional campaign events, Kennedy appears to be taking a breather.
Kennedy’s absence from the main debate stage and the campaign trail carries risk for his insurgent quest to shake up the Republican and Democratic dominance of the U.S. political system. He lacks the money for a firehose of television commercials, and he must spend much of the money he does have to secure ballot access. Public appearances are a low-cost way to fire up supporters and drive media coverage he needs to stay relevant.
Kennedy says he can’t win unless voters know he’s running and believe he can defeat Biden, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican. That problem will become increasingly acute as the debate, followed by the major party conventions in July and August, push more voters to tune into the race.
Still, Kennedy has maintained a steady stream of social media posts, and he continues to sit for interviews, most recently with talk show host Dr. Phil.
“Mr. Kennedy has a full schedule for July with many public events, mostly on the East Coast and including one big rally,” said Stefanie Spear, a Kennedy campaign spokesperson. “We will start announcing the events next week.”
For Thursday’s debate on CNN, the network invited candidates who showed strength in four reliable polls and ballot access in enough states to win the presidency. Kennedy fell short on both requirements.
He has cried foul about the rules, accusing CNN of colluding with Biden and Trump in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission and threatening to sue.
Kennedy wasn't on stage, but his supporters had a visible presence on the streets around the debate hall.
Some Kennedy backers set up a lemonade stand a few blocks from the spin room where the press was gathered. A sign on top of the stand read, “CNN Lemons = Kennedy Lemonade.” Others waved “Heal the Divide” signs. Not far away, a Kennedy campaign bus blasted music.
Sujat Desai, a 20-year-old student from Pleasanton, California, who supports Kennedy, said Kennedy's absence from the debate is a major hurdle for him to overcome.
“I don’t think there’s any way to get awareness if you’re not on the debate stage,” Desai said. “I think it’s a pretty lethal blow not to be in this debate, and it would be detrimental not to be in the next.”
Still, Desai said he won't be dissuaded from voting for Kennedy even if he appears to be a longshot come November.
“I think this is probably the strongest I’ve seen an independent candidate in a while, so I’ll give him that,” Desai said. “I think he’s definitely doing well. His policies are strong enough to win, I just don’t know if there's awareness."
Independent and third-party candidates like Kennedy face supremely long odds, but Kennedy’s campaign has spooked partisans on both sides who fear he will tip the election against them. Biden supporters worry his famous Democratic name and his history of environmental advocacy will sway voters from the left. Trump supporters worry his idiosyncratic views, particularly his questioning of the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective, will appeal to people who might otherwise vote for Trump.
Christy Jones, 54, a holistic health and mindfulness coach from Glendora, California, worries people won't know Kennedy is running without him standing next to Biden and Trump at the debate. But she said he's still all over her social media feeds and she's confident he's making himself visible.
“I do feel like he could still win if people choose to be courageous,” she said. “If all the people that actually want change voted for him, he would be in. People are asking for change.”
Until recently, Kennedy’s website promoted a variety of events weeks or more in advance, including public rallies and private fundraisers. He held comedy nights with prominent comedians in Michigan and Tennessee.
But since he went to the June 15 premiere of a film on combatting addiction, Kennedy has been dark, though he continues to promote in-person and virtual organizing events for his supporters.
Cooper reported from Phoenix. Associated Press journalist Steve Peoples in Atlanta contributed to this report.
Supporters of Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. watch a screen of the Presidential Debate from a Kennedy campaign event, in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is greeted by supporters during a campaign event, in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talks during a campaign event, in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talks during a campaign event, in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talks during a campaign event, in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talks during a campaign event, in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talks during a campaign event, in West Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Supporters of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., stand at a lemonade stand near the presidential debate site before President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump debate in Atlanta, Thursday, June 27, 2024.(AP Photo/Steve Peoples)
Supporters of Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. protest outside the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., Friday, June 21, 2024. Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's parent company, plans to relocate to its Burbank studios. Host network CNN said Thursday the independent presidential candidate fell short of benchmarks both for state ballot qualification and polling. The missed markers mean the June 27 showdown will be solely between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Supporters of Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. protest outside the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., Friday, June 21, 2024. Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's parent company, plans to relocate to its Burbank studios. Host network CNN said Thursday the independent presidential candidate fell short of benchmarks both for state ballot qualification and polling. The missed markers mean the June 27 showdown will be solely between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
