For a plastic manufacturing company, the most relevant emission factors primarily relate to energy consumption, raw material processing, and waste management. Key emission factors include: 1. Combustion Emissions: Emissions from burning fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, diesel) for heat and power generation, measured as CO2, CH4, and N2O per unit of fuel consumed. 2. Process Emissions: Emissions arising directly from chemical reactions during polymerization and other manufacturing steps, especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases like fluorinated gases if used. 3. Electricity Use: Indirect emissions linked to electricity consumption, depending on the grid’s emission factor (kg CO2e/kWh). 4. Raw Material Emissions: Emissions embedded in the production of feedstocks such as ethylene and propylene, often considered in life cycle assessments. 5. Waste and Solvent Management: Emissions from waste incineration, landfill methane release, and solvent evaporation during cleaning or processing. Understanding and applying these emission factors helps plastic manufacturers quantify their greenhouse gas footprint, comply with environmental regulations, and identify reduction opportunities. Emission factors from recognized sources like the IPCC, EPA, or industry-specific databases are typically used for accurate estimation.

Published on: 2025-12-28 at 00:15:02