Amazon invests $10 million in Closed Loop Fund

Amazon has announced it will invest $10 million in Closed Loop Fund, New York, to support recycling infrastructure in the United States, according to an Amazon news release. Amazon’s investment will increase the availability of curbside recycling for about 3 million homes in communities across the country, making it easier for customers to recycle and further develop end markets for recycled commodities. 

According to Amazon, the investment in the Closed Loop Fund will divert about 1 million tons of recyclable material from landfill into the recycling stream and eliminate the about 2 million metric tons of CO2 by 2028.

“This investment will help build the local capabilities needed to make it easier for our customers and their communities to recycle and to increase the amount of material recycled across the country,” says Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations. “We are investing in Closed Loop Fund’s work because we think everyone should have access to easy, convenient curbside recycling. The more we are all able to recycle, the more we can reduce our collective energy, carbon, and water footprint.”

Closed Loop Fund invests in sustainable consumer goods, advanced recycling technologies, and the development of the circular economy. It aims to eliminate more than 16 million tons of greenhouse gas, divert more than 8 million cumulative tons of waste from landfills, improve recycling for many American households and save nearly $60 million for American cities in the next 10 years, according to the news release.

CEO of Closed Loop Fund Ron Gonen adds, “Amazon's investment in Closed Loop Fund is another example of how recycling is good business in America. Companies are seeing that they can meet consumer demand and reduce costs while supporting a more sustainable future and growing good jobs across the country. We applaud Amazon's commitment to cut waste, and we hope their leadership drives other brands and retailers to follow suit."

According to Amazon’s news release, the company’s investment in Closed Loop Fund furthers its commitment to reducing packaging waste through its Frustration-Free Packaging programs, which are designed to produce less waste than traditional packaging. Amazon works directly with manufacturers to help them redesign their packaging, eliminate waste throughout the supply chain and ensure products arrive undamaged on customers’ doorsteps. Amazon introduced its Frustration-Free Packaging 10 years ago, and according to the company’s news release, it has eliminated more than 244,000 tons of packaging materials to date, avoiding 500 million shipping boxes.