Glass Food Storage Container

Material Composition Assumptions

A typical glass food storage container weighing approximately 700 grams consists of several key components. The container body comprises primarily silica sand serving as the glass former, representing roughly 70% of the total weight at 490 grams. Soda ash functioning as sodium carbonate constitutes about 15% or 105 grams, while limestone providing calcium carbonate accounts for approximately 10% at 70 grams. Recycled glass cullet typically ranges from 5-50% by weight, averaging around 20% or 140 grams in modern production. The container features a thin tin or titanium oxide coating for scratch resistance, adding minimal weight at roughly 5 grams. The accompanying lid consists of plastic or silicone material weighing approximately 30 grams, bringing the total product weight to 700 grams.

Manufacturing Geography

Glass food storage container production concentrates primarily in China, which dominates global glass manufacturing due to abundant raw material access and established industrial infrastructure. Chinese manufacturing facilities operate within an electrical grid characterized by coal-heavy generation, resulting in a grid intensity of 555 gCO2/kWh according to International Energy Agency data from 2024. This region serves as the primary manufacturing hub because of competitive production costs, proximity to silica sand deposits, and existing supply chain networks for raw materials including soda ash and limestone. The energy-intensive nature of glass melting processes, requiring temperatures exceeding 1500°C, makes grid intensity a critical factor in overall carbon footprint calculations.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	555 gCO2/kWh	62	Baseline
European Union	275 gCO2/kWh	48	-23%
United States	386 gCO2/kWh	54	-13%
India	708 gCO2/kWh	71	+15%
Brazil	85 gCO2/kWh	38	-39%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Submit facility-specific energy consumption data including natural gas usage for furnace operations and electricity consumption for forming processes, measured in kWh per kilogram of finished product.

2. Provide documentation of recycled glass cullet percentage by weight in the specific production batch, including supplier certificates for post-consumer recycled content verification.

3. Submit regional grid intensity data or renewable energy procurement agreements that demonstrate lower carbon electricity sourcing than the default manufacturing region assumption.

4. Provide transportation distance and mode documentation from raw material suppliers to manufacturing facility, including shipping methods for silica sand, soda ash, and limestone inputs.

5. Submit end-of-life processing data including local recycling infrastructure availability and typical recovery rates for glass containers in the target market region.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate manufacturing emissions plus estimated use phase and end-of-life impacts over a 50-use lifecycle assumption for a single glass food storage container.

• Scope 1 emissions dominate due to direct fuel combustion in glass melting furnaces, while Scope 2 reflects electricity consumption for forming operations under Chinese grid conditions.

• The functional unit assumes one complete container system including lid, compared across 50 washing cycles to account for reusability benefits versus single-use alternatives.

• Transportation beyond raw material sourcing to manufacturing facility is excluded from the baseline calculation due to variable distribution patterns.

• Regional variations in washing practices and water heating methods represent significant data gaps that could substantially affect total lifecycle impacts.

• The calculation excludes packaging materials for retail sale and assumes standard residential dishwashing practices for use phase impacts.