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Disposable diapers, cotton buds, pet food and novelty Donald Trump toilet paper were among the products on sale in the new eco-friendly section of their Amazon website, raising concerns about the sustainability of some of the products on offer.
The world’s largest online retailer launched their new website section in the UK and Europe on Tuesday with over 40,000 articles on the new platform chosen for their sustainability credentials.
But environmental activists have raised concerns about some of the products that carry the new Climate Pledge Friendly badge along with items like plastic-free solid shampoo bars and organic baby clothing.
In a site search by the Guardian, dog food containing turkey and chicken, washable wipes, cotton swabs, and the new Donald Trump toilet paper were all found to carry the new sustainability badge on the Amazon platform.
Activists said some of the products are “environmentally invalid” and a Green Party spokesperson said the new initiative appears to be “greenwashing”.
The company has since removed sustainability badges from Donald Trump’s washable wipes and toilet paper after they were contacted by the Guardian and claimed it was a mistake.
Products listed under the Climate Pledge Friendly initiative were chosen to help customers discover and purchase more sustainable products, carrying a certificate from schemes such as Fairtrade International, Carbon Trust and Compact by Design, Amazon’s certification.
A company spokesperson said the new scheme is not a green guarantee and will highlight products with more reliable sustainability certifications, reducing plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions through changes in packaging.
Experts said the company should be more demanding with its product choices, thinking about the greater impact they have, rather than choosing items that seek to be greener through packaging.
Trewin Restorick, managing director of the environmental charity Hubbub, said: “Eco-friendly options should not be a side event but integrated into their core offering and be an integral part of their research process.
“Their new Compact by Design self-certification is flawed as it is awarded to products that have more efficient design elements rather than questioning the environmental credentials of the product in the first instance. This is why the site contains products that have dubious environmental credentials. “
Amazon has already faced criticism for the excessive use of cardboard and other packaging materials and was criticized last year for introducing new-style packaging that couldn’t be recycled.
A Green Party spokesperson said: “In theory it’s great to see big business taking steps in the right climate direction, but this feels more like a green wash than a real commitment to promoting sustainability.”
An Amazon spokesperson said: “Climate Pledge Friendly helps make it easier for customers to discover and purchase products that have one or more reliable sustainability certifications, including Rainforest Alliance, Forest Stewardship Council, Fairtrade International and EU Ecolabel.
This is just the beginning. We hope this program will encourage more manufacturers to make more sustainable products and will continue to add more certifications and work with brands and manufacturers to certify more products over time. “
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