Plastics — PET (Bottles, Trays)
Materials High Confidence
Carbon Cost Index Score
3 kgCO₂e / per kg
Per kg
3 kgCO₂e / kg
Methodology v1.0 · Last reviewed 2026-04-08
Scope Breakdown
| Scope | kgCO₂e | % of Total | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | 0.4 | 13% | |
| Scope 2 | 0.3 | 10% | |
| Scope 3 | 2.3 | 77% | |
| Total | 3 | 100% |
Emission Hotspots
| Emission Hotspot | Scope | Est. % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| PTA and MEG monomer production (petrochemical feedstock) | S3 | 50% |
| Polymerization (melt polycondensation, solid-state polycondensation) | S2 | 18% |
| Injection molding or thermoforming into bottles/trays | S2 | 12% |
| Crude oil extraction and refining | S3 | 12% |
| Transport and pellet logistics | S3 | 8% |
Manufacturing Geography
- Region
- China, USA, EU, India, Middle East
- Grid Intensity
- 565 gCO2e/kWh (IEA 2024, China)
Material Composition Assumptions
The default reference product is 1 kg of bottle-grade PET resin pellets, produced from:
- Purified terephthalic acid (PTA): ~86% by weight. Derived from paraxylene, a petroleum or gas-derived aromatic hydrocarbon.
- Monoethylene glycol (MEG): ~14% by weight. Derived from ethylene oxide, also petroleum-derived. Bio-MEG from sugarcane ethanol is an emerging alternative.
- Catalysts and additives: Antimony trioxide catalyst, acetaldehyde scavenger, reheat additives, UV stabilizers, approximately 0.1-0.3% by weight.
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is the most widely recycled plastic. Global PET production is approximately 30 million tonnes/year, with ~70% used for bottles and ~15% for thermoformed trays and containers.
Manufacturing Geography
PET production is a large-scale petrochemical process:
- PTA/MEG production: Concentrated in China (~50% of global PTA capacity), USA (Gulf Coast), Middle East, India, and South Korea.
- PET polymerization: Same regions as PTA/MEG, plus additional capacity in EU and Mexico.
- Grid intensity (China): 565 gCO2e/kWh (IEA 2024).
- Rationale: PET production is dominated by upstream petrochemical feedstock emissions (Scope 3). The polymerization and solid-state polycondensation steps are moderately energy-intensive but contribute a smaller fraction of total emissions.
Regional Variation
| Production Region | Estimated Score (per kg) | Adjustment vs Default |
|---|---|---|
| Global average (default) | 3.0 kgCO2e | Baseline |
| China | 3.2 kgCO2e | +7% |
| USA (Gulf Coast) | 2.8 kgCO2e | -7% |
| EU | 2.5 kgCO2e | -17% |
| Middle East | 2.6 kgCO2e | -13% (cheap gas feedstock) |
| Recycled PET (rPET) | 1.0-1.5 kgCO2e | -55% |
Provenance Override Guidance
A supplier may override the default CCI score by submitting:
- Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for the specific PET resin or bottle preform.
- Recycled content: rPET content verified by a chain-of-custody certification. 100% rPET reduces cradle-to-gate emissions by ~50-60%.
- Bio-MEG data: Sugarcane-derived MEG reduces the feedstock footprint for the glycol component.
- Supplier PCF: Major PET producers (Indorama, Alpek, DAK) are beginning to publish product-level carbon data.
Methodology Notes
- CCI score of 3 kgCO2e/kg represents a conservative global average including resin production and pelletizing. PlasticsEurope reports 2.15 kgCO2e/kg for amorphous resin; the CCI score adds conversion energy and conservative grid assumptions.
- Scope breakdown: Scope 3 dominates at 77% (2.3 kgCO2e/kg) from petrochemical feedstock production. Scope 1 is 13% (0.4 kgCO2e/kg) from on-site combustion. Scope 2 is 10% (0.3 kgCO2e/kg) from polymerization electricity.
- Confidence: High — PET has extensive LCA data from PlasticsEurope, APR, and multiple EPDs.
- Functional unit: 1 kg of bottle-grade PET resin pellets, cradle to gate.
- Recycling: PET has the highest recycling rate among plastics (~30% globally, ~50% in the EU). Bottle-to-bottle closed-loop recycling is commercially established.
Related Concepts
Related Categories
Sources
- PlasticsEurope (2014) — Eco-profiles and Environmental Product Declarations of the European Plastics Manufacturers: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) — Bottle Grade. Reports cradle-to-gate GWP of 2.15 kgCO2e/kg for amorphous PET resin.
- Franklin Associates (2018) — Life Cycle Impacts for Postconsumer Recycled Resins: PET, HDPE, and PP. Prepared for the Association of Plastic Recyclers. Reports virgin PET bottle resin at approximately 2.7-3.2 kgCO2e/kg including conversion.
- NAPCOR (2020) — National Association for PET Container Resources. PET lifecycle data documenting production, recycling, and end-of-life emissions for the US PET bottle stream.
- GHG Protocol (2014) — Scope 3 Calculation Guidance. Emission factors for purchased plastic materials.
- IEA (2024) — Emissions Factors 2024. Grid intensities for major petrochemical production regions.