Glass Jar (500ml)

Material Composition Assumptions

A standard 500ml glass jar weighs approximately 90 grams and consists of three primary raw materials. Silica sand comprises the largest portion at roughly 68 grams, representing 75% of the total weight and serving as the primary glass-forming component. Soda ash sodium carbonate accounts for approximately 14 grams or 15% of the jar weight, acting as a flux to lower the melting temperature of silica. Limestone calcium carbonate makes up the remaining 9 grams or 10% of the composition, providing stability and durability to the final glass structure. These proportions represent industry-standard formulations for clear container glass manufacturing.

Manufacturing Geography

Glass jar production is concentrated primarily in the European Union, where established container glass manufacturing facilities benefit from relatively cleaner electricity grids and advanced production technologies. The EU grid intensity averages 276 gCO2/kWh, which influences the Scope 2 emissions associated with electricity consumption during melting and forming operations. This region dominates global glass packaging production due to proximity to both raw material sources and major food packaging markets. Manufacturing facilities typically locate near silica sand deposits and benefit from well-developed recycling infrastructure that supplies cullet for emission reduction.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
European Union	276 gCO2/kWh	52	Baseline
United States	386 gCO2/kWh	58	+12% higher
China	554 gCO2/kWh	73	+40% higher
India	708 gCO2/kWh	82	+58% higher
Nordic Countries	83 gCO2/kWh	37	-29% lower

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Facility-specific electricity consumption data measured in kWh per tonne of glass produced, along with the corresponding grid emission factor or renewable energy certificates.

2. Natural gas consumption records showing cubic meters or therms consumed per production batch, including any efficiency improvements or alternative fuel sources.

3. Recycled content percentage documentation specifying the proportion of post-consumer cullet used in the glass batch formulation.

4. Transportation distance and mode documentation from raw material suppliers to the manufacturing facility, including any regional sourcing advantages.

5. Process efficiency metrics demonstrating furnace utilization rates, rejection percentages, or energy recovery systems that deviate from industry standards.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate emissions including raw material extraction, processing, transportation to manufacturing facility, and glass production through jar forming.
• Scope 1 emissions predominantly reflect natural gas combustion for glass melting and process emissions from limestone decomposition during heating.
• Scope 2 emissions account for electricity consumption during forming, annealing, and facility operations based on regional grid intensity.
• Scope 3 emissions capture upstream raw material processing, mining operations, and inbound transportation of materials to the manufacturing site.
• The functional unit assumes single-use application without accounting for potential reuse scenarios that could significantly improve the per-use environmental performance.
• Packaging materials for shipping the finished jars and end-of-life disposal or recycling phases are excluded from this assessment boundary.
• Regional variations reflect primarily differences in electricity grid carbon intensity, with coal-dependent regions showing substantially higher footprints.