Amazon's Doncaster warehouse uses futuristic technology to ensure their packaging is on the way to becoming environmentally friendly

The Amazon Iport on the Great Yorkshire Way sees millions if not billions of packages every year.

It is one of the largest Amazon sites in the UK, a million square feet in size and hires over a thousand employees.

Neil Williams, Community Relations Manager of Amazon UK, said: “You’re probably very familiar with Amazon boxes - they are recyclable and made from recycled materials.

“This is also true for all the packaging material including the protective dunnage.

“We are very keen to ensure that the right amount of packaging is used for each item.”

The process runs like clockwork inside the fullfilment centres to ensure maximum efficiency - one of the machines that helps to achieve this is the Cubescan.

This allows staff members to weigh items and to calculate its dimensions - ensuring that it is packaged in an appropriately sized box to cut down on waste.

“It allows us to measure everything super accurately - even down to the amount of tape that we need to use on the box,” he continued.

“We concentrate on sustainability everywhere on site - right the way through from the large operation to recycling in the staff kitchen areas.”

One way that Amazon is looking to decrease packaging is by allowing sellers to use their own and choosing not to wrap the goods in additional cardboard layer.

Despite looking quite complicated, the systems in the warehouse are straightforward.

Neil said: “It’s a really simple process, goods come in then they’re stowed away on the shelves.

“Once a customer buys the item it is retrieved by the team and packed then sent along to distribution.

Neil says that Amazon is keen to invest in more environmentally friendly policies in the years to come, with ambitions of installing more solar panels to buildings and introducing electric vehicles.

You can book a tour of the warehouse here.