eBay avoids 3.1 mn MT of carbon emissions in 2020, 1.5 mn MT in 2021

The brand is now progressing toward a new goal of creating $20 billion in positive economic impacts, avoiding 7 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions and avoiding 230,000 metric tonnes of waste through selling pre-owned and refurbished products on eBay by 2025 across five product categories.

The report unveils the cumulative environmental and economic impact that selling and purchasing used or refurbished products on eBay has.

In 2021 alone, the brand reported creating $4 billion in positive economic impact, avoiding 1.5 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions, avoided 47,000 metric tonnes of waste,

Last year, the company achieved a 26 per cent absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (the goal is 90 per cent absolute reduction by 2030 and a 7 per cent absolute reduction in Scope 3 downstream transportation and distribution from a 2019 baseline (goal 20 per cent absolute reduction by 2030), eBay said in a press release.

eBay sourced 90 per cent of electricity supply from renewable energy sources for company-controlled data centres and offices in 2021 (the goal is to source cent per cent by 2025).

The company also, for the first time, released its methodology for calculating the environmental and financial benefits of keeping products in circulation, preventing them from immediate disposal to landfill or incineration.