Amazon's Vercelli Innovation Lab in northern Italy is now open for public tours, giving visitors a peek at the technology the company is testing to cut packaging waste and quicken deliveries, reported Sustainability Magazine.
Two of the lab's newest robots are featured. The Flat Sorter Robotic Induct uses sensors to sort packages by size and where they're headed, while the Universal Robotic Labeller can tag items of many shapes, some without a box or bag.
The tech is supposed to make deliveries more reliable while using fewer materials. Packaging is designed to fit products snugly, resulting in less waste for customers to deal with at home. More accurate sorting can also help parcels reach their destinations sooner, and cleaner transport routes mean less harmful pollution during delivery.
A package that once came in an oversized box might instead be sent in a bag tailored to fit the product, for example, reducing the amount of material needed and the space it takes up in transit, per Sustainability Magazine.
While the technology could build on Amazon's efforts to become more sustainable, such as via the rollout of electric vans, the tech giant still faces intense scrutiny over its environmental impact. TCD has previously covered the company's failure to make good on its packaging commitments, as well as its high levels of planet-overheating pollution from data centers.
Kara Hurst, Amazon's chief sustainability officer, said in a LinkedIn post that the lab is "developing ways to make each box, bag and envelope smaller, lighter, and more sustainable, without compromising product protection."
One visitor to the Vercelli lab posted on social media: "This is next-level innovation in sustainable packaging—huge respect for Amazon's forward-thinking approach."
Another said, "I'm inspired by how these efforts align with the Climate Pledge and customer needs and excited by the opportunity to contribute to sustainable, tech forward solutions like these."
You can learn more about how to support eco-friendly initiatives by mainstream brands here.
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