Recycling your Amazon packaging

Written by About Amazon Team

Did you know all paper bags, cardboard envelopes and cardboard boxes used by Amazon in the UK are 100% recyclable?

If you have just received an Amazon order, you might be wondering what to do with the box or envelope your product came in. Is Amazon’s packaging recyclable? How should you dispose of it? We are here to help you find out more about the characteristics of our packaging, and our efforts to make it more and more sustainable and user-friendly.

We keep working to reinvent and simplify our packaging options using a science-based approach that combines lab testing, machine learning, materials science and manufacturing partnerships to scale sustainability improvements across our packaging supply chain.

Why? Because using the right amount of packaging matters: since 2015, Amazon has reduced the weight of outbound packaging per shipment by more than 38% and eliminated more than 1.5 million tons of packaging material. Put simply: less packaging means we can fit more orders in every van, leading to fewer deliveries and bringing us closer to our goal to be net-zero carbon by 2040.

Since 2022, Amazon has stopped packing products in single-use plastic delivery bags for orders from Amazon’s own distribution network in the UK and throughout Europe. This includes items sold by Amazon and third-party selling partners that use Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA). We now pack products in 100% recyclable paper bags and cardboard envelopes instead.

When it comes to padding, we have switched plastic air pillows for 100% recycled and 100% recyclable packaging paper designed to prevent movement within boxes, while keeping items safe. We’re also increasing the number of products that can be shipped in their original packaging provided by the manufacturer, with only an address label added. Last, but not least: all paper bags, cardboard envelopes and cardboard boxes used by Amazon across Europe are 100% recyclable.

Let’s take a closer look at our packaging and how you can recycle it:

1

Amazon’s 100% recyclable paper packaging: cardboard boxes

Cardboard boxes are 100% recyclable as part of household recycling programmes. Flatten the boxes and place them in your paper or card bin, or public collection containers. There’s no need to remove the tape – boxes can be recycled with our tape attached.
2

Cardboard envelopes

Cardboard envelopes and folders are 100% recyclable as part of household recycling programmes.
3

Packing paper

Brown packing paper is 100% recyclable as part of household recycling programmes.
4

Paper bags

Paper bags are 100% recyclable as part of household recycling programmes.
5

Amazon’s Grocery Delivery Packaging: Amazon Fresh paper bags

Our Paper Bags are 100% recyclable as part of household recycling programmes, or they can be reused.
6

Padded Paper Insulation

Our paper padded insulation liners are used with chilled and frozen orders to ensure our product reaches you in the freshest possible condition. They are made from paper, they are 100% recyclable and can be reused.
7

Cardboard Liners

Our bag base liners are used with chilled and frozen orders to ensure our product reaches you in the freshest possible condition. They are made from paper, they are 100% recyclable and can be reused.
8

Chilled Coolant Ice Packs

These coolants are used with your chilled orders to ensure our product reaches you in the freshest possible condition. The outer film is Low-Density Polyethylene (LD-PE) plastic which is recyclable in certain locations. Household collection can vary across the UK, so visit www.recyclenow.com to check which authorities collect LD-PE plastic direct from homes. They are filled with purified water, so before recycling we recommend that you pour the water into your household sink. Alternatively, refreeze and reuse these packs with your picnics and packed lunches.
9

Frozen Coolant Ice Packs

These coolants are used with your frozen orders to ensure our product reaches you in the freshest possible condition. The outer film is LD-PE plastic which is recyclable in certain locations. Household collection can vary across the UK, so visit www.recyclenow.com to check which authorities collect LD-PE plastic direct from homes. They are filled with 100% purified water and saline, so before recycling we recommend that you pour the water into your household sink. Alternatively, refreeze and reuse these packs with your picnics and packed lunches.
10

Egg Protection Sleeves

Our protective egg sleeves are made from paper and are 100% recyclable as part of household recycling programmes and can be reused.

Look out for QR codes on our packaging to learn more about ways to recycle, and give packaging and products a second chance.

So why did my order come with plastic packaging?

While we work hard to reduce plastic packaging material, there are a few instances where you may still receive products in plastic packaging:

While we control the packaging for items shipped to customers direct from our own Fulfilment Centres, more than 50% of sales comes from third-party selling partners, many of which are small and medium-sized businesses who sell to Amazon customers via the Amazon store. In some cases, the selling partners will ship directly to customers themselves, in which case we do not control the packaging. We share our expertise on more sustainable packaging options and encourage selling partners to use them.
When a product comes in a single-use plastic bag from the manufacturer and the bag is suitable, Amazon will deliver the product to the customer in the manufacturer-supplied bag. This avoids the addition of unnecessary extra packaging.
If a package contains contents that could spill, Amazon may decide to add an outer plastic layer of packaging.
Plastic preparation material such as bubble wrap may still be used where necessary, for example to protect fragile items like glass.
In specific weather conditions, Amazon may add an additional single-use plastic bag to the paper and cardboard packaging to protect orders from rain when left on the door steps of our customers.

More about our efforts to improve packaging solutions

Our Frustration-Free Packaging programmes encourage vendors to package their products in easy-to-open packaging that is 100% recyclable and ready to ship to customers without additional Amazon packaging. More than 2 million products have qualified for this programme to date.

We test packaging in a dedicated, state-of-the-art lab and in Fulfilment Centres across the globe to identify specific steps that vendors can take to improve their packaging, and ensure products are protected all the way to your doorstep.

Find out more about our efforts to minimise packaging

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