Peanut Butter (500g plastic jar)

Material Composition Assumptions

The assessment assumes a standard 500g jar containing approximately 475g of peanut butter composed of roasted peanuts as the primary ingredient, supplemented by sugar and vegetable oil for texture and preservation. The packaging consists of a PET plastic jar weighing roughly 35g, an aluminum and plastic composite lid at 8g, and a paper label contributing 2g to the total product weight. This composition reflects typical commercial peanut butter formulations where peanuts comprise approximately 90% of the food content by weight.

Manufacturing Geography

Primary manufacturing occurs in the United States, particularly in Georgia and Alabama where peanut cultivation is concentrated. The regional electricity grid operates at an intensity of 420 gCO2/kWh, reflecting the mixed energy portfolio of natural gas, coal, nuclear, and renewable sources typical of southeastern utility systems. This geographic concentration minimizes transportation distances between raw material production and processing facilities, while the established agricultural infrastructure supports efficient large-scale peanut butter manufacturing operations.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
United States	420 gCO2/kWh	48	Baseline
China	650 gCO2/kWh	62	+29% higher
India	680 gCO2/kWh	64	+33% higher
Germany	380 gCO2/kWh	44	-8% lower
Canada	150 gCO2/kWh	39	-19% lower

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Direct agricultural emissions data from peanut farming operations including fertilizer application rates, diesel fuel consumption, and land use change impacts
2. Manufacturing facility energy consumption records with specific electricity usage for grinding, roasting, and packaging operations
3. Transportation distance documentation covering raw material shipment from farms to processing facilities and finished product distribution
4. Packaging supplier emissions data for PET jar production, lid manufacturing, and label printing with material composition verification
5. Water usage measurements throughout the production process including irrigation requirements and facility processing water consumption

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-grave emissions covering agricultural production through consumer disposal of packaging materials
• Scope 1 emissions capture direct agricultural activities and facility fuel combustion during manufacturing processes
• Scope 2 reflects electricity consumption for processing equipment operation including grinding, roasting, and packaging machinery
• Scope 3 dominates the footprint due to packaging production, raw material transportation, and consumer travel for product acquisition
• The functional unit is one 500g plastic jar representing typical household purchase quantities
• End-of-life recycling benefits are excluded due to variable regional waste management practices
• Water consumption impacts are acknowledged but not quantified in the carbon footprint calculation