Amazon hasnt disclosed what fraction of its sales are fulfilled in that way.
We want the company to make a commitment to do more, Littlejohn told Grist.
He said Amazons actions could influence other large retailers to also reduce their plastics use.
Amazon is phasing out its single-use plastic air pillows.Imiage: Amazon
Itoperates in 21 countriesand ships to many more.
In the U.S., Amazon controlsnearly 40 percentof the e-commerce market.
Plastic reduction has been slower in the U.S., perhaps because of the sheer size of its largest market.
Amazon’s plastic air cushions are now a thing of the plast. Image: Amazon.
Littlejohn said that the emphasis on curbside recycling instead of specialty take-back programs at retail stores is meaningful.
Plastic film that does get reprocessed is downgraded into nonrecyclable products like deck chairs.
These products contribute to plastic pollution, even if theyre shipped to buyers in a paper envelope.
Many of these products are sold under the Amazon-owned label 365 by Whole Foods Market.
Unlike PET bottles, that flexible packaging cannot be recycled really anywhere in the world at this point.
All of that goes to the landfill, MacKerron said.
This article originally appeared inGrist.
Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
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