Body Wash (500ml)

Material Composition Assumptions

A typical 500ml body wash contains approximately 400-450 grams of liquid formulation plus 50-100 grams of plastic packaging. Water forms the largest component at 350-400 grams, representing roughly 70-90% of the liquid content. Synthetic surfactants make up 20-40 grams and serve as the primary cleansing agents. The formulation includes 5-15 grams of preservatives, emulsifiers, and thickeners to maintain product stability and texture.

Fragrance compounds and natural oils typically account for 2-8 grams in premium formulations, while basic products may contain minimal amounts. The plastic bottle, usually made from high-density polyethylene or polyethylene terephthalate, weighs 50-100 grams depending on wall thickness and design complexity. Additional packaging materials like labels and caps contribute an estimated 5-10 grams to the total product weight.

Manufacturing Geography

The majority of commercial body wash production occurs in China, which serves as a global manufacturing hub for personal care products. Chinese facilities benefit from established supply chains for both chemical ingredients and plastic packaging materials, enabling cost-effective production at scale. However, the region’s electricity grid relies heavily on coal-fired power generation, resulting in a carbon intensity of 555 gCO2e per kilowatt-hour.

Manufacturing in China also provides access to major shipping ports for global distribution, though this creates additional transportation emissions when products reach distant markets. The concentration of surfactant and plastic resin production in the same region reduces some upstream transportation costs but increases exposure to grid-intensive electricity use throughout the supply chain.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	555 gCO2e/kWh	1200	Baseline
India	708 gCO2e/kWh	1320	+10%
Germany	366 gCO2e/kWh	960	-20%
United States	401 gCO2e/kWh	1020	-15%
Brazil	85 gCO2e/kWh	840	-30%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Supplier-specific electricity consumption data for manufacturing facilities, including renewable energy procurement agreements or on-site generation capacity that differs from regional grid averages.

2. Detailed ingredient sourcing documentation showing the geographic origin of synthetic surfactants, preservatives, and natural extracts, particularly for suppliers using bio-based or recycled feedstocks.

3. Plastic resin certificates indicating recycled content percentages, resin type specifications, and production location data for bottle and cap manufacturing.

4. Transportation and logistics records documenting shipping distances, modal split between truck and rail transport, and distribution center locations from raw materials through finished goods.

5. Production yield and waste stream data showing manufacturing efficiency metrics, water usage rates, and chemical processing energy requirements that vary from industry averages.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate emissions for a 500ml body wash bottle, including all upstream processes through manufacturing completion but excluding consumer use and disposal phases.

• Scope 1 emissions reflect direct fuel combustion and chemical reactions during manufacturing and formulation processes at production facilities.

• Scope 2 accounts for purchased electricity used in manufacturing operations, ingredient processing, and plastic packaging production based on regional grid carbon intensities.

• Scope 3 captures upstream emissions from raw material extraction, chemical synthesis, transportation, and packaging material production throughout the supply chain.

• The functional unit assumes a standard 500ml bottle size, though actual carbon intensity varies significantly based on packaging design, wall thickness, and closure systems.

• Excluded from this assessment are consumer transportation to purchase products, hot water usage during application, wastewater treatment impacts, and end-of-life disposal or recycling processes.

• Data gaps exist around the carbon intensity of specialty ingredients like fragrances and botanical extracts, which are estimated using proxy data from similar chemical compounds.