Food Packaging -- Aluminum (Cans, Foil, Trays)

Material Composition Assumptions

The default reference is 1 kg of primary (virgin) aluminum food packaging, covering the major aluminum packaging formats:

• Beverage cans: Two-piece drawn-and-ironed (DI) cans, alloy 3004/3104 body with 5182 lid — the dominant aluminum packaging format by tonnage. A standard 355 mL (12 oz) can weighs approximately 13-15 g.
• Food cans: Drawn or stamped aluminum containers for pet food, ready meals, and processed foods.
• Foil and trays: Rolled aluminum foil (typically 6-20 micrometers thick) for wrapping, lids, and semi-rigid trays.

The CCI score of 9.2 kgCO2e/kg represents a global weighted average for primary aluminum through conversion into packaging form (cradle-to-gate). This is below the IAI global smelting average of 14.8 kgCO2e/kg because the packaging score accounts for the global mix of smelting regions (not exclusively coal-powered), and because major packaging-producing regions (North America, Europe, Middle East) tend to have lower-carbon smelting than the global average which is heavily weighted by Chinese coal-based production.

The score assumes 100% primary (virgin) aluminum. Real-world aluminum cans contain significant recycled content — North American cans average approximately 70% recycled content. With recycled content, the effective footprint drops substantially since recycled aluminum requires only approximately 5% of the energy of primary production.

Manufacturing Geography

The default manufacturing scenario assumes a global weighted average reflecting major primary aluminum production regions:

• China: Approximately 60% of global primary aluminum production. Grid intensity ~565 gCO2e/kWh (IEA 2024), heavily coal-dependent. Chinese smelters average approximately 16-20 kgCO2e/kg.
• Middle East (GCC): Approximately 10% of global production. Natural gas-powered smelters at approximately 8-10 kgCO2e/kg.
• Europe (Norway, Iceland): Approximately 8% of global production. Predominantly hydropower-based smelting at approximately 3-5 kgCO2e/kg.
• North America: Approximately 5% of global production. Mixed grid at approximately 7-10 kgCO2e/kg.
• Rationale: Aluminum smelting (Hall-Heroult electrolysis) is extremely electricity-intensive at approximately 13-16 MWh per tonne of aluminum. The electricity source therefore dominates the carbon footprint, with smelting electricity accounting for approximately 45% of total cradle-to-gate emissions.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Smelting Energy Source	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
Global weighted (default)	Mixed	9.2 kgCO2e/kg	Baseline
China (coal-based)	Coal (~90%)	16.0 kgCO2e/kg	+74%
Middle East (GCC)	Natural gas	8.5 kgCO2e/kg	-8%
Europe (Nordic)	Hydropower (~90%)	4.0 kgCO2e/kg	-57%
North America	Mixed grid	7.5 kgCO2e/kg	-18%
Canada (Quebec)	Hydropower	3.5 kgCO2e/kg	-62%

Note: The extreme range (3.5 to 16.0 kgCO2e/kg) reflects the dominance of smelting electricity in the total footprint. Sourcing aluminum from hydropower-based smelters can reduce the carbon footprint by more than 60% compared to the global average. The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification can provide chain-of-custody traceability for low-carbon aluminum.

Provenance Override Guidance

A supplier or brand may override the default CCI score by submitting:

1. Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) or Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) certified per ISO 14067 or EN 15804, specifying system boundary and allocation method for recycled content.
2. Smelter-specific carbon intensity data identifying the specific smelter(s) and their electricity source mix. ASI-certified smelters with verified carbon intensity data qualify for override.
3. Recycled content percentage with chain-of-custody documentation. Each 10% increase in recycled content reduces the effective footprint by approximately 8-9% (since recycled aluminum is ~94% less carbon-intensive than primary). Industry standard for beverage cans is approximately 50-73% recycled content.
4. Rolling and conversion facility energy data specifying electricity consumption per kg of output and fuel mix for annealing furnaces.
5. Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification at either Performance Standard or Chain of Custody Standard level, providing verified environmental performance data.

Methodology Notes

• CCI score of 9.2 kgCO2e/kg represents a conservative estimate for primary aluminum packaging at a global weighted average, below the IAI 2023 global smelting average of 14.8 kgCO2e/kg. The reduction accounts for the fact that major packaging aluminum supply chains tend to source from a mix of regions, not exclusively coal-based Chinese smelters.
• Scope breakdown: Scope 2 dominates at 50% (4.6 kgCO2e/kg), driven almost entirely by electricity consumption during smelting. Scope 1 is 30% (2.8 kgCO2e/kg), from anode consumption CO2 (the carbon anodes react with alumina releasing CO2), perfluorocarbon (PFC) emissions during anode effects, and combustion in rolling/forming operations. Scope 3 is 20% (1.8 kgCO2e/kg), from alumina refining (Bayer process), bauxite mining, and transport.
• Functional unit: 1 kg of finished aluminum food packaging, cradle-to-gate. The gate is the formed, coated, and printed packaging item ready for filling.
• Use-phase emissions are excluded. Aluminum packaging has negligible use-phase emissions.
• End-of-life: No credit or debit for recycling is included in the CCI score. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable with approximately 95% energy savings versus primary production. Global aluminum can recycling rates vary from approximately 50% (USA) to greater than 90% (Brazil, several EU countries).
• Data gaps: The global weighted average is sensitive to assumptions about regional sourcing mix. Brand-specific supply chain data would significantly improve accuracy. The score also does not differentiate between can sheet, foil, and tray formats, which have different rolling energy requirements.