Amazon has become an increasingly ubiquitous part of our lives, with the global population receiving weekly — and even daily — packages from the company. But as these packages pile up on doorsteps all over the world, a glaring issue has emerged: How do you recycle all those damn boxes, bubble envelopes, and Prime Now paper bags?
Given the huge variety in packaging, the answer isn't so clear.
The reality of Amazon recycling
According to a 2024 report from ocean conservancy organization Oceana, Amazon generated 208 million pounds of plastic packaging waste from U.S. transactions in 2022. Despite a global decline in plastic waste, the number for U.S. shipping saw a 9.6 percent increase. "This amount of plastic, in the form of air pillows, would circle the Earth more than 200 times," the organization says.
Amazon, for what it's worth, does provide guidelines around the topic. U.S. customers whose orders are fulfilled by Amazon can click on any order in the Amazon app and scroll down to the bottom to view recycling or discard instructions. People can also ask Alexa or Siri "How do I recycle my Amazon packaging?" and both will direct them to Amazon's guidelines.
But David Pinsky, a senior plastics campaigner at Greenpeace, doesn't think this information's very useful.
"While it is helpful to provide information, Amazon is continuing to place the burden on customers to manage its enormous packaging footprint. As U.S. and global recycling markets collapse, the truth is that very few plastics are still recyclable and, even if they are collected for recycling, most are not recycled. It's time for Amazon to ditch all single-use packaging and transition to reuse and refill systems," Pinsky, who works to make large companies reduce their single-plastic use, wrote in an email.
Large corporations like Amazon need to take responsibility by eliminating throwaway packaging and switching to reuse and refill systems, Pinsky explained.
In a December 2022 blog post, Amazon acknowledged this disparity: "Although the plastic packaging Amazon uses today is recyclable, it generally requires our customers to take the materials from their homes to store drop-off locations. As a company that obsesses about our customers, we recognize it's not the easiest customer experience."
What Amazon is doing for the planet
Amazon does offer a program called Frustration-Free Packaging, which includes products designed to ship in their own packaging without the need for additional Amazon mailers or boxes. According to Amazon, "products in 'Frustration-Free Packaging' offer more sustainable packaging that is right-sized, reduces damages, is made of recyclable packaging materials, and is easier to open." It is also made of 100 percent curbside recyclable materials. And the option is working, to some extent. Since 2015, Amazon has reduced the weight of outbound packaging by 38 percent and eliminated more than 1.5 million tons of packaging material, thanks to programs such as Frustration-Free Packaging.
"In the midst of a rapid increase in customer orders throughout the pandemic, we continued to take steps to reduce single-use plastics in our outbound packaging," the company wrote.
In 2019, Amazon debuted its fully recyclable paper padded mailer. The company had shipped more than 200 million new mailers to customers as of mid-2020 and replaced nearly 70 percent of its mixed material bubble mailers by 2021, offering the same recyclability as Amazon's cardboard box but taking up less space in the recycle bin, says an Amazon spokesperson.
The company also debuted its "Less Packaging, More Smiles" campaign in 2020 as a way to use less packaging materials in its shipments while helping customers repurpose boxes before recycling. For example, you can reuse Amazon cardboard boxes in fun ways — like to build a rocket, fort, or car for your cat or dog — all via a QR code on the box that provides instructions.
In 2021, the company attempted to address the plastic-film concerns and redesigned many of these plastic products to be more sustainable, increasing the recycled content of plastic film bags from 25 percent to 50 percent, and from 15 percent to over 40 percent for its plastic padded bags. The improvements are expected to eliminate more than 25,000 metric tons of new plastic each year moving forward, according to the company. In March 2022, the company also announced its partnership with the BOTTLE consortium, a U.S. Department of Energy research initiative to reduce plastic pollution, to design new modes of plastic chemical upcycling.
The company encourages customers to shop with Amazon Day Delivery in mind to take advantage of flexible options for when and how packages arrive. "On top of making deliveries work for their personal schedule, choosing Amazon Day is a great way to combine multiple orders into one delivery, potentially reducing the amount of packaging they receive. On average, Amazon Day uses 30 percent fewer boxes and Amazon Day users saved 136 million boxes in 2022," Amazon explained.
But these sustainability efforts might not be going far enough. As the Washington Post reported, in an effort to pack more shipments into delivery planes and trucks, Amazon is using more small plastic mailers rather than cardboard boxes.
The long road to plastic-free Prime
Many of the plastic mailers it uses (like its regular and bubble-lined plastic bags) include plastic film.
In its latest report, Oceana estimated that up to 22 million pounds of such plastic packaging waste would end up in the world’s waterways and seas, noting that plastic film is the most common form of marine plastic litter in nearshore ocean areas and the deadliest to marine life.
Amazon notes on its website that some cities have curbside recycling programs for film, and if your city doesn't, Amazon utilizes a directory to find a drop-off location that will take compatible plastic film, wrap, and bags. However, Pinsky says this website isn't exhaustive because it doesn't include a list of complete options for some areas.
There also aren't that many cities with recycling programs that accept plastic film, says Darby Hoover, a senior resource specialist who works on plastic waste issues at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental advocacy organization. When it comes to recycling centers, even if they do accept plastic film, it can be hard, if not impossible, to process, as they often get caught in the center's machinery, a spokesperson from the recycling, landfill, and compost operator Recology wrote in an email.
To avoid this problem, Recology workers try to manually remove loose plastic film before it enters the machinery, but this doesn't always work. "Amazon packages represent a challenging new packaging trend," a Recology spokesperson explained.
Pinsky still suggests conducting your own research to find drop-off locations and asking your supermarket if they recycle plastic film.
And then there's the paper address label. If it's a self-adhesive label, it's probably not recyclable, Hoover says. "It's pretty upsetting to see Amazon has gone in this direction by putting more single-use plastics on the market," Pinsky says.
Although online shopping has become the de-facto way of living, it shouldn't just be the customer's responsibility to figure out how to recycle. Companies need to step up too, Hoover says.
In the meantime, here's how to do your part by recycling Amazon's packaging.
1. Paper padded envelope mailer
Amazon says these paper padded mailers are recyclable, just like cardboard boxes and other paper items.
Paper products should be accepted by most curbside recycling programs, says Pinsky.
2. Bubble-lined plastic bag and plastic bag
Some cities offer curbside recycling, Amazon writes on its website. If your city doesn't, Amazon suggests using a directory where you can enter your ZIP code to find a drop-off location that accepts plastic film, which these bags contain.
Still, it's questionable if some drop-off locations will accept bubble-lined plastic bags, Pinsky says. Hoover advises people to check drop-off centers' websites to see what they can recycle.
3. Cardboard box and cardboard folder
Cardboard boxes and folders can be recycled in most curbside recycling, Amazon states on its website. It also says to remove any tape before recycling.
Still, you should check with your local government to see what is recyclable and learn how and if you're supposed to prepare these materials in a particular way, Hoover says.
For example, New York City advises people to flatten cardboard boxes and then tie them together with strong twine before setting them out for recycling.
You can also use your cardboard boxes to start composting.
4. Paper Envelope
Amazon says its paper envelopes are recyclable in most curbside recycling programs.
5. Give Back Box partnership (for cardboard boxes)
If you have an extra box lying around, you can also give it a second life. Just fill a box with items you wish to donate, print out a label for free, and ship it at no cost to you through UPS, FedEx, or USPS. Your old things will be re-homed to charities through Amazon's partnership with Give Back Box, and you can write off the donation on your taxes.
6. Packing paper
Packing paper is recyclable through most curbside recycling programs, according to Amazon.
7. Air pillow
Amazon suggests you either recycle its air pillows curbside, if possible, or find a drop-off location that accepts them. Like Amazon's plastic bags, air pillows contain plastic film, which means the packaging is harder to recycle.
When you are able to recycle them, Hoover suggests first popping the air out of the pillow and then bringing it to a drop-off location.
8. Bubble-lined paper mailer
Paper mailers with air bubble padding are not recyclable and should be put in the trash, Amazon says on its website, though also suggests checking with your local recycling program for more details.
Pinsky, for his part, advises throwing out these mailers.
9. Reusable gift bags
As you've probably guessed by the name, Amazon encourages you to reuse these gift bags. But once they're no longer presentable, you'll have to chuck them in the garbage bin. Amazon says it is "currently transitioning to gift bags made of 100 percent recycled material that will replace this version."
Pinsky advises avoiding these gift bags altogether. Most of the bags will end up in landfills, incinerators, and the environment.
Instead, he says, "get creative with other ways to share gifts that don’t require single-use plastic bags, paper, or other materials."
10. Amazon Fresh paper bag
Since they're paper, Amazon Fresh paper bags are recyclable through most curbside recycling programs.
11. Paper ice cream pouch
Paper envelopes, including the insulation inside, are recyclable in most curbside recycling programs and also can be used again if clean and dry.
12. Amazon Fresh water bottle
This is just a water bottle and can be recycled in most curbside recycling programs. Amazon states on its website that these water bottles are used to cool items like food, but you can also drink the water, so don't let it go to waste.
13. Produce bag
Again, because the product has plastic film it may be tricky to recycle because the film often gets stuck in recycling centers' machinery. Amazon says some cities offer curbside recycling for its produce bag, but when not available, you can "use designated store drop-off locations where plastic film is accepted."
It's worth checking where you can recycle it first. Amazon provides a website to find a drop-off location to do so, but you should do your own research and ask your supermarket if they accept the film, says Pinsky.
14. Bottom board and paper insulation
Both products are made of 100 percent cardboard. As such, Amazon says you can recycle both in your curbside recycling program.
Want more stories about sustainability in your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletters today.
UPDATE: Apr. 4, 2024, 12:00 p.m. EDT This article, originally published in October 2019, has been updated to reflect the latest initiatives, statistics, and recommended sustainability practices. Original reporting by Siobhan Neela-Stock.
Topics Amazon Social Good Sustainability
