Data and references

Company data

The company’s own data on consumption of energy, fuel, raw material, processing aids, transport service and waste production are the basis for the company’s carbon account as well as the product calculations made. The company’s own data are verified by auditors representing ClimateCalc. 

Generic data for graphical raw material

The emission factors for graphic raw material are based on the best knowledge available within both published LCA research and various development projects undertaken in the industry. Emission factors for e.g. printing ink, varnish, printing plates, cleaning agents etc. are primarily developed on the basis of clearly defined models for the specific raw material using data from international LCA databases. The Danish Technical University has contributed with data as well as the definition of models related to graphic raw materials, based among others on the project Ecolabelling of Printed Matter – Part II.

Generic data for energy and fuel

The majority of the data used for fuel- and energy consumption comes from international LCA databases and from UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Carbon Change). The emission factors for electricity consumption and fuel combustion are country specific, while emission factors relating to fuel production and purchase of transport services are average data for Europe.

Data for paper and other substrates

The purpose of ClimateCalc is to provide exact information on the carbon impact of the specific print or packaging product seen in a life cycle perspective. As the production of substrate normally represents more than 50% of the total carbon impact of the product, it’s important to include data representing the specific paper qualities or substrates in the carbon calculation. The customer and the manufacturing company are only able to make a prioritized effort to minimize the carbon impact by using data for the specific paper qualities or substrates.

Therefore, ClimateCalc primarily uses data for specific paper qualities based primarily on the CEPI-Ten-Toes method, and secondarily uses the Paper-Profile method using emission factors for electricity for the country in which the paper is produced.