Carbon Footprint
The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product or packaging throughout its lifecycle, measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). An increasingly important metric alongside EPR compliance.
The carbon footprint of packaging is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout its lifecycle, expressed in kilograms of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). While not directly part of pEPR fee calculations, carbon footprint is an increasingly important metric.
Factors affecting packaging carbon footprint:
- Material production — virgin vs recycled content (recycled materials typically have lower carbon footprints)
- Manufacturing energy — energy source and efficiency
- Transport — weight and distance (lightweighting reduces transport emissions)
- End of life — recycling offsets virgin material production; EfW produces emissions
Many businesses now set science-based targets for reducing packaging carbon footprints. Life Cycle Assessments quantify carbon footprints, and EPDs communicate them. The link between EPR compliance and carbon reduction is strong — packaging that is lighter, recyclable, and made from recycled materials typically has both lower fees and lower carbon footprints.
Related Terms
Recycled Content
The proportion of a packaging item made from previously recycled materials rathe...
Eco-Design
The practice of designing packaging with environmental considerations integrated...
Lightweighting
Reducing the weight of packaging while maintaining its protective and functional...
Life Cycle Assessment
A systematic methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product o...
Environmental Product Declaration
A standardised document that transparently communicates the environmental perfor...
More compliance Terms
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