Deodorant Stick (plastic)

Material Composition Assumptions

A typical plastic deodorant stick weighs approximately 40 grams and consists of several key components. The primary plastic container comprises 25 grams of polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate, representing roughly 62% of the total product weight. The deodorant formulation accounts for 12 grams, including active odor-control ingredients and fragrance compounds that make up 30% of the product. Secondary packaging materials such as cardboard sleeves contribute 2 grams or 5% of the total weight. Some formulations incorporate small amounts of aluminum-based antiperspirant compounds, while an increasing number of products utilize post-consumer recycled plastic content to reduce virgin material requirements. The remaining weight consists of miscellaneous components including labels, adhesives, and protective caps.

Manufacturing Geography

The majority of plastic deodorant sticks are manufactured in China and Southeast Asian countries, where large-scale personal care production facilities benefit from established supply chains and cost efficiencies. These regions host major contract manufacturers that produce private label and branded deodorants for global distribution. The manufacturing process relies heavily on electricity for plastic molding, product filling, and packaging operations. China’s grid intensity of 540 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour significantly influences the carbon footprint of products manufactured in this region. The concentration of petrochemical facilities and plastic resin suppliers in these areas further reinforces the geographic clustering of deodorant production.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	540 gCO2/kWh	62	Baseline
United States	385 gCO2/kWh	55	-11%
European Union	270 gCO2/kWh	48	-23%
India	650 gCO2/kWh	68	+10%
Brazil	85 gCO2/kWh	38	-39%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Plastic resin supplier documentation showing the percentage of post-consumer recycled content and associated carbon footprint data for container materials.

2. Energy consumption records from the manufacturing facility including renewable energy certificates and grid electricity usage during production periods.

3. Transportation manifests detailing shipping distances and modes of transport from raw material suppliers to manufacturing facilities and distribution centers.

4. Formulation specifications identifying the carbon intensity of active ingredients and fragrance compounds used in the deodorant stick.

5. End-of-life treatment data demonstrating actual recycling rates and waste processing methods for the specific plastic container design.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate emissions for one complete deodorant stick including primary packaging but excluding retail packaging and consumer use phase impacts.

• Scope 3 emissions dominate the footprint due to upstream plastic production and raw material processing, while direct manufacturing emissions remain relatively low.

• The functional unit is defined as one standard-sized deodorant stick containing approximately 40 grams of product and packaging materials.

• Consumer transportation to retail locations and product application behaviors are excluded from the assessment boundary.

• Limited availability of supplier-specific data for fragrance compounds and specialty ingredients creates uncertainty in formulation-related emissions.

• Regional grid intensity variations significantly affect the carbon footprint, with renewable energy-intensive regions showing substantially lower scores.