"If a company sells a thing, it's probably packaged in plastic. Plastic is made from oil, and oil production releases emissions that warm the planet. If that thing is bought online, it's put on a plane or a train or a truck that usually uses oil-based fuel. If you buy a thing and return it, it goes through most or all of that all over again."
"And once those products are back with the retailer, they may be sent along to a refurbisher, liquidator, recycler or landfill. All these steps require more travel, packaging and energy, ultimately translating to more emissions. Joseph Sarkis, who teaches supply chain management at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, estimates that returning an item increases its impact on the planet by 25% to 30%."
"The holiday season will soon come to a close, but the busiest time of the year for product returns is just beginning. The National Retail Federation estimates 17% of holiday purchases will be sent back this year. More retailers are reporting extended return windows and increased holiday staff to handle the rush this year. A major driver for returns is uncertainty."
Holiday purchases generate a high volume of returns, with the National Retail Federation estimating 17% of holiday purchases will be returned. Many retailers extend return windows and add staff to handle the surge. Uncertainty when buying gifts and limitations of online shopping—especially for clothing and footwear where fit matters—drive higher return rates. Returns create extra environmental cost through packaging, oil-based production, and transportation. Returned products often require further shipping, refurbishment, liquidation, recycling or disposal, adding travel, packaging and energy. Experts estimate returns increase a product's environmental impact by about 25% to 30% and roughly one-third are not resold.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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