Amazon could help deliver a solution to our plastic problem
Amazon could help deliver a solution to our plastic problem
- Mon, May 11 2026 at 10:11 AM
Mark,
In 2022, Amazon produced enough plastic packaging waste to circle the Earth 200 times.1
These 208 million pounds of plastic do more than just coat our same-day shipments: they use up precious resources and harm our health.2
That's why we're urging Amazon to reduce plastic packaging, calling on supporters like you to join us. But action is better when it's backed by facts, so here's what you should know about Amazon's plastic packaging and its widespread impacts.
Less than 10% of the plastic ever created has been recycled. Most of it becomes permanent pollution.3
When our national research partners investigated how much of Amazon's packaging gets recycled, the recycling rates were abysmal. Of the packages they tracked, almost none of them were actually recycled -- even when they were labeled as recyclable and consumers tried to recycle them.4
Making recycling more effective with transparent labels and clear instructions is helpful, but with the colossal amount of plastic being created every day, recycling is far from a viable solution to global pollution.
The best way to slow plastic pollution is to stop producing so much wasteful plastic in the first place. That's why Amazon needs to do its part to stop the pollution problem at the root and cut out unnecessary plastic.
So what happens to all that plastic that doesn't get recycled? Well, a lot of it is sent to the landfill, leaching chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Another large chunk of it is incinerated, releasing dangerous toxins into the air we breathe.5
And, a huge amount of plastic packaging makes its way into our world's waterways. That pollution doesn't just harm natural ecosystems and wildlife, it also more quietly threatens our health.
That's because plastic breaks down in the water, releasing microplastics. These tiny particles can absorb toxic chemicals like mercury and DDT, which are eaten by wildlife and bioaccumulate up the food chain, eventually ending up on our dinner tables.6
We may not be able to see microplastics -- and the chemicals they contain -- in our food, air and water, but the risks they pose are far too serious to ignore.
We've been raising our voices for years, urging major companies like Amazon to do their part to rein in plastic pollution.
And with your help, we've made necessary progress. After gathering petition signatures and educating the public, we helped convince Amazon to remove plastic air pillows from its shipments, reducing a harmful and pervasive form of pollution.7
But waves of plastic are rushing into our oceans every day, wasting resources and threatening our world's waters, and risking the health of our kids and grandkids.
And with Amazon's May 20 shareholder meeting approaching quickly, we're working harder than ever to raise public awareness of waste and build a world less reliant on plastic. We hope you'll join us.
Thank you,
Faye Park
President, National Office
1. "Too much plastic: Why Amazon's packaging needs to change," PIRG, February 17, 2025.
2. Oliver Milman, "Amazon increased US plastic packaging despite global phase-out, report says," The Guardian, April 4, 2024.
3. Kelly Leviker and Celeste Meiffren-Swango, "Are plastics recyclable?," PIRG, March 1, 2025.
4. Jenn Engstrom and Celeste Meiffren-Swango, "Truth in recycling," PIRG Education Fund, March 19, 2024.
5. "Plastic planet: How tiny plastic particles are polluting our soil," United Nations Environment Programme, last accessed April 28, 2026.
6. Klára Cverenkárová, Martina Valachovičová, Tomáš Mackuľak, "Microplastics in the Food Chain," National Library of Medicine, December 6, 2021.
7. "Good news on reducing plastic: Companies hear the call for change," PIRG, April 15, 2025.
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