Fruit Juice (1L carton)

Material Composition Assumptions

The typical one-liter carton of fruit juice consists of multiple layers providing barrier properties and structural integrity. The paperboard forms the primary structure at approximately 750 grams, representing the largest material component. A polyethylene plastic layer provides moisture barrier properties at roughly 130 grams. An aluminum foil layer adds oxygen barrier characteristics at approximately 120 grams. The juice content itself derives from concentrated or fresh oranges processed with water, though this organic content contributes minimally to packaging-related emissions.

The multilayer carton design optimizes product protection while maintaining relatively low environmental impact compared to alternative packaging formats. Each material layer serves specific functional requirements for product preservation and shelf stability during distribution and storage.

Manufacturing Geography

Major orange juice production concentrates in Brazil, Spain, and Florida due to favorable citatic growing conditions and established processing infrastructure. Brazil dominates global orange juice production with significant renewable energy integration in processing facilities, resulting in lower grid-related emissions. The Brazilian electrical grid operates at approximately 0.074 kgCO2e/kWh due to substantial hydroelectric capacity.

Spanish and Florida facilities typically operate on grids with higher carbon intensity, affecting processing-stage emissions. However, shorter transportation distances to major consumer markets can offset some grid-related disadvantages. Processing facilities in these regions benefit from proximity to both agricultural production and consumer distribution networks.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
Brazil	0.074 kgCO2e/kWh	38	-9.5%
Spain	0.233 kgCO2e/kWh	44	+4.8%
Florida, USA	0.431 kgCO2e/kWh	47	+11.9%
Italy	0.276 kgCO2e/kWh	45	+7.1%
California, USA	0.237 kgCO2e/kWh	44	+4.8%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Agricultural emissions data including fertilizer application rates, field equipment fuel consumption, and measured nitrous oxide emissions from orange grove operations.

2. Processing facility energy consumption records with specific electricity and fuel usage for pasteurization, concentration, and cold storage operations.

3. Packaging material specifications detailing the exact composition ratios of paperboard, polyethylene, and aluminum layers with supplier carbon intensity data.

4. Transportation logistics documentation including shipping distances, mode selection, and load factors from grove to processing facility to retail distribution.

5. Renewable energy procurement agreements or on-site generation capacity that reduces grid electricity dependence during juice processing operations.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-grave emissions including agricultural production, processing, packaging, distribution, and end-of-life waste management for one liter of not-from-concentrate orange juice in carton packaging.

• Scope 1 emissions include minimal direct fuel combustion primarily from agricultural equipment and facility operations.

• Scope 2 emissions encompass electricity consumption during juice processing, pasteurization, and cold storage operations at manufacturing facilities.

• Scope 3 emissions dominate the footprint through upstream agricultural inputs, packaging material production, and downstream transportation and waste management.

• The functional unit assumes standard aseptic carton packaging with multilayer barrier materials enabling ambient storage before opening.

• Regional agricultural practices and transportation distances create significant variation in actual product footprints beyond the baseline estimate.

• End-of-life scenarios assume typical municipal waste management systems with limited carton recycling infrastructure in most regions.