15 billion plastic air pillows. Hard to imagine right? Well, that’s the amount used by Amazon for shipping packages annually. However, that figure will be drastically reduced in 2025 as Amazon announced that it has replaced 95% of the plastic air pillows with paper and plans to completely eliminate it by the end of this year.
To elaborate, the plastic air pillows that help contribute to 33 billion pounds and that enter the ocean every year and increase the world’s $13 billion per year plastic clean up cost, will soon be replaced by paper filler.
However, this is seemingly not just some ESG inspired change as Amazon found that paper filler is simply better. For one, it has environmental benefits, being 100% recyclable while offering equal if not better package protection. Additionally, it is easier to work with because it gives workers more space to pack orders.
While this is a major change for Amazon, it is a drop in the bucket for the wider problem of plastic pollution. Amazon, along with other companies, can still do much more to avoid the environmental catastrophe we are heading towards. However, Amazon’s actions demonstrate that attempts to be more environmentally friendly can not only protect the environment and avoid the costs associated with environmental damage but also improve a company’s operations and public perception.