Carbon Footprint of Chemical Products

The sum of the greenhouse gases emitted over the life cycle of a chemical product, expressed in kilograms of CO₂ equivalent (kg CO₂-eq).

To add up different gases, each one is converted to CO₂ equivalent according to its global warming potential: methane or nitrous oxide weigh more than CO₂ per kilogram emitted. The footprint of a product is calculated with the life cycle assessment methodology (ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards) and, specifically for the carbon footprint, with the ISO 14067 standard. The first step is to set the boundaries of the study: «cradle to gate» includes raw materials, transport and manufacturing until the product leaves the factory; «cradle to grave» adds distribution, use and end of life of the packaging and waste. The functional unit is also set, which in cleaning should be a dose or a wash, not a kilo of product, because the use concentrations are very different.

In cleaning products, the footprint tends to be concentrated at three points: the production of raw materials, the transport of the water contained in the product and the packaging, and the use phase. When the product is used with hot water, the energy to heat it can exceed the rest of the cycle. That is why the correct dose, the working temperature and concentrated, reusable formats matter as much as the formula.

It should not be confused with the footprint of an organisation, which is calculated with other methods (such as the GHG Protocol or ISO 14064-1) and is divided into direct emissions (scope 1), emissions from purchased electricity (scope 2) and those from the rest of the value chain (scope 3). In Spain, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition manages a voluntary carbon footprint register for organisations.

More information: Life cycle of a chemical product · Circular economy of packaging · Working temperature