BIO-BASED MATERIALS | PACKAGING
Amazon’s vision for recyclable bioplastics packaging
Jennifer Markarian spoke with Amazon’s Director of Materials and Energy Sciences, Alan Jacobsen, and founder of recycling automation start-up Glacier, Rebecca Hu-Thrams
In the quest to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and packaging waste, many companies and consortiums are working on improved solu- tions for collection and sortation as well as seeking alternatives to conventional plastic materials and package designs. Innovators from a wide range of industries and geographies are combining existing knowledge with new technologies to make packag- ing more sustainable while still meeting functional requirements.
Although “sustainability” can have multiple definitions, there seems to be a growing call for packaging to be made from bio-based materials – to reduce the environmental impact of its begin- ning of life – and for recyclable or compostable packaging, to reduce the environmental impact of its end of life. A question for the plastics industry is how bio-based plastics will fit into this picture of
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
packaging materials. The multinational e-commerce giant Amazon is
a large user of packaging in its distribution systems, and the company is moving toward both its short- and long-term goals for packaging sustainability. For example, the company has been making strides in eliminating unnecessary packaging through activities such as its Ships in Product Packaging program, which tests and certifies products to ship in their original delivery packaging. The company is also making changes to improve
packaging recyclability. This includes shifts from plastic to paper, such as replacing plastic air pillows with paper filler in delivery packaging in North America, to make it easier for customers to recycle in curbside collection, the company said. “Amazon’s vision for packaging is that it is made from renewable resources, will safely biodegrade if
May/June 2025 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 33
Main image: Scientists in the Amazon Sustainable Materials Innovation Lab in Seattle work to test and develop more sustainable packaging
IMAGE: AMAZON
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