Jun 20, 2024 - Energy & Climate

Amazon is trashing plastic air pillows in packages

Hope King

Illustration of a recycling symbol repeating pattern. — Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

Get a new hobby if you enjoy popping plastic air pillows from your Amazon packages because the company is aiming to trash the box fillers in North America for good by year-end.

Why it matters: The move, Amazon says today, will remove 15 billion plastic cushions annually from its shipping process — and from oceans and landfills.

The tech and logistics giant will use 100% recycled paper materials instead, which it says "offers the same, if not better, protection to products than plastic air pillows."

What we're watching: Roughly 95% of plastic air pillows have already been replaced in the company's North America shipments. And come Prime Day next month, Amazon says virtually all deliveries will use recycled paper content.

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Amazon is trashing plastic air pillows in packages

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