Hand Sanitizer (250ml)

Material Composition Assumptions

The Climate Cost Index assessment for a 250ml hand sanitizer assumes the following material composition based on standard WHO formulations:

• Active ingredient (ethanol at 60-80% or isopropanol at 75%): 188-200g representing 75-80% of total volume
• Distilled water as solvent: 45-50g comprising 18-20% of formulation
• Glycerol as humectant and emollient: 3.6g accounting for 1.45% of mixture
• Hydrogen peroxide as antimicrobial booster: 0.3g at 0.125% concentration
• Low-density polyethylene or polypropylene bottle: 15g for primary packaging
• Polypropylene pump dispenser or closure: 5g for dispensing mechanism
• Cardboard outer shipping box (allocated per unit): 2g for retail packaging

The total product weight including packaging reaches approximately 250-275g, with the active alcohol ingredient representing the dominant mass component and primary environmental impact driver.

Manufacturing Geography

Hand sanitizer production predominantly occurs in China, which accounts for the largest share of global personal care product manufacturing. Chinese facilities benefit from established chemical processing infrastructure and proximity to raw material suppliers for both alcohol production and plastic packaging components.

The manufacturing region assessment uses China’s national grid intensity of 555 kgCO2e/MWh, reflecting the country’s coal-dominated electricity generation mix. This grid intensity significantly influences the carbon footprint of energy-intensive processes including alcohol distillation and plastic bottle production through injection molding.

Regional concentration in China also stems from integrated supply chains where alcohol production, plastic manufacturing, and final assembly occur within the same industrial zones, reducing transportation emissions between production stages.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	555 kgCO2e/MWh	32	Baseline
India	708 kgCO2e/MWh	36	+12.5%
United States	386 kgCO2e/MWh	28	-12.5%
Germany	338 kgCO2e/MWh	26	-18.8%
Brazil	75 kgCO2e/MWh	20	-37.5%

Provenance Override Guidance

Suppliers can submit the following data types to override the default CCI score with product-specific information:

1. Active ingredient production data including alcohol source (petroleum-derived vs bio-based ethanol), production facility location, and energy consumption per kilogram of alcohol produced.

2. Plastic bottle manufacturing specifications detailing resin type, recycled content percentage, bottle weight, and production facility grid intensity with supporting electricity consumption data.

3. Transportation logistics documentation covering shipping distances from alcohol production to formulation facility, formulation facility to packaging site, and final distribution to regional markets.

4. Energy consumption records from the formulation and filling process including electricity usage for mixing equipment, filling lines, and facility operations with corresponding grid emission factors.

5. Packaging material specifications encompassing label materials, adhesives, pump dispenser components, and outer carton specifications with supplier location data.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate emissions including raw material extraction, manufacturing, and packaging but excluding use phase and end-of-life disposal.
• Scope 3 emissions dominate at 87% primarily due to upstream alcohol production and plastic manufacturing, while Scope 2 contributes 8% from manufacturing electricity consumption.
• The functional unit covers one 250ml hand sanitizer bottle as typically sold in retail channels.
• Excluded elements include retail storage, consumer transportation, pumping mechanism durability, and bottle recycling or disposal pathways.
• Data gaps exist around regional variation in alcohol production methods and the carbon intensity of glycerol and hydrogen peroxide manufacturing processes.
• The assessment assumes standard WHO formulation guidelines but actual products may vary in alcohol concentration and additive composition.