Amazon announced today that it has replaced 95% of the plastic air pillows from delivery packaging in North America with paper filler, and is working toward full removal of the plastic pillows by the end of the year.

According to the company, the announcement marks Amazon’s largest to-date plastic packaging reduction effort in North America, adding that it will avoid nearly 15 billion plastic air pillows annually.

The new achievement follows less than a year after Amazon announced in October that its Ohio fulfillment center would be the first to eliminate plastic delivery packaging, including the transition from plastic air pillows to paper filler, providing testing and learning to expand the transition across North America. Amazon tested the paper filler through a third-party lab and ascertained it offered the same, if not better, protection to products. The company collaborated with suppliers to source paper filler made from 100% recycled content, while also coordinating the transition across fulfillment centers, including changing machinery.

In addition to containing 100% recycled content, Amazon added that the new filler is curbside recyclable, making it easier for customers to recycle at home.

Pat Lindner, VP of Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging said:

“We are working towards full removal in North America by end of year and will continue to innovate, test, and scale in order to prioritize curbside recyclable materials.”

The company eliminated single-use air pillows in Europe and Australia and replaced them with curbside-recyclable paper material in 2022, according to Amazon’s 2022 Sustainability Report.