Amazon India eliminates single-use plastic packaging across its fulfilment centres

In line with its aim to build a sustainable supply chain, Amazon India has announced that it has eliminated all single-use plastic in its packaging in its 50 fulfilment centres across India. The initiative was announced by the ecommerce giant in September 2019.

Amazon first started replacing plastic packing material like air pillows and bubble wraps with paper cushions in December 2019. It then went on to introduce 100 percent plastic-free packaging, which is biodegradable, in the beginning of the year. It said it has also replaced thin cling films for customer deliveries among other material.

ALSO READ

It takes a lot of courage for the ground staff to step out and put others before them, says Swati Rustagi of Amazon India

Prakash Kumar Dutta, Director, Customer Fulfilment and Supply Chain, Amazon India, said in a press statement shared by the company,

“The elimination of single-use plastic in our packaging across our fulfilment centres marks an important milestone in our relentless journey towards building a sustainable supply chain. Our aim is to minimise environmental impact while elevating customer experience. While navigating through unprecedented challenges with the lockdown and pandemic in the last few months, we have continued to take progressive steps towards ensuring that we meet our commitment. We strongly believe that moving towards sustainable practices is good for the planet, the customers, and the business, and we will continue to invest and innovate on this front.”

The statement added that all the other plastic packing material, which is originating from the Amazon Fulfilment Centres, are 100 percent recyclable through their available collection, segregation, and recycling channels.

The ecommerce giant added that it has carried out several pilots for developing different single-use plastic free solution to gauge the strength of the packaging. It said that it has collaborated with manufacturers to design different options to minimise waste.

"The pilots have enabled the company to take significant steps towards its sustainability goals without impacting the customer experience or product safety," said the press statement.

The company also announced its India-first initiative of packaging-free shipping (PFS) to over 100 cities as part of its sustainability efforts. The Seattle-based startup is working towards 'The Climate Pledge' it had signed along with Infosys, Verizon, and Reckitt Benckiser to address the climate crisis.

Amazon also aims to make 50 percent of its shipments net zero carbon by 2030. The statement added it is has built sustainable packaging initiatives like frustration-free packaging and ship in own container, which have reduced the packaging waste by 25 percent since 2015.