Baking Sheet (aluminum)

Material Composition Assumptions

This assessment models a standard residential aluminum baking sheet weighing approximately 600 grams. The primary constituent is aluminum metal comprising the full structural weight, with the balance consisting of recycled aluminum content that may range from zero to fifty percent depending on production practices and market conditions. Minor alloying elements including manganese, copper, and silicon may be present in trace quantities based on specific alloy specifications, though these represent less than one percent of total mass. The recycled content assumption significantly impacts the overall carbon footprint due to the substantial emissions difference between primary and secondary aluminum production processes.

Manufacturing Geography

China dominates global aluminum sheet manufacturing due to its extensive primary smelting capacity and established semi-fabrication infrastructure. The Chinese manufacturing base operates on a national electricity grid with an average carbon intensity of 531 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour, reflecting the country’s heavy reliance on coal-fired power generation. This grid composition directly influences the carbon intensity of aluminum electrolysis, which requires substantial electrical energy inputs. Chinese production facilities benefit from integrated supply chains that reduce transportation costs but result in higher emissions per unit due to the carbon-intensive electricity supply.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	531 gCO2/kWh	8.0	Baseline
Middle East	450 gCO2/kWh	7.2	-10%
North America	250 gCO2/kWh	4.8	-40%
Europe	180 gCO2/kWh	4.0	-50%
Iceland/Norway	85 gCO2/kWh	2.4	-70%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Recycled aluminum content percentage with third-party verification documentation showing the proportion of secondary aluminum used in production.

2. Electricity source data including power purchase agreements, renewable energy certificates, or facility-specific grid connections that demonstrate lower carbon intensity than regional averages.

3. Primary aluminum supplier emissions data with smelter-specific carbon footprints that may reflect cleaner production methods or renewable energy access.

4. Manufacturing facility energy efficiency metrics including specific energy consumption per tonne of rolled aluminum sheet compared to industry benchmarks.

5. Transportation distance documentation for raw materials and finished products that may vary significantly from modeled assumptions for integrated versus distributed supply chains.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate emissions for a standard aluminum baking sheet including raw material extraction, primary production, and semi-fabrication processes
• Scope 2 emissions dominate due to the electricity-intensive aluminum electrolysis process, while Scope 3 includes upstream bauxite mining and alumina refining
• The functional unit covers one typical residential baking sheet weighing approximately 600 grams
• End-of-life recycling benefits are excluded from this assessment as they occur beyond the manufacturing gate boundary
• Regional electricity grid data may not capture facility-specific power sourcing arrangements that could significantly alter actual emissions
• Recycled content assumptions use industry averages and may not reflect specific producer practices or market conditions