Carbon Reporting for Printing and Packaging Companies
Why Printers and Packaging Manufacturers Are Receiving More Carbon Questionnaires
Printing and packaging companies occupy a critical position in consumer goods supply chains. Almost every food, beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and retail brand uses a packaging supplier. Under CSRD, all these brands now need to report their Scope 3 Category 1 emissions — which include the carbon embedded in the packaging they purchase.
This creates a direct, pressing need for packaging suppliers to measure and report their operational GHG emissions.
The Printing and Packaging Emissions Profile
Unlike service businesses, printing and packaging manufacturers have significant Scope 1 from gas-fired drying and curing processes, plus heavy electricity use from presses, laminators, and coating equipment.
Scope 1 sources: - Natural gas for press drying and curing ovens - LPG for smaller dryers and heating - Diesel for fork trucks and company vehicles - Refrigerant losses from plate cooling systems (typically low-GWP, but check)
Scope 2 sources: - Electricity for offset and digital presses (high demand) - Electricity for laminators, die-cutters, and finishing equipment - Electricity for compressors and HVAC
Scope 3 sources: - Category 1 (purchased goods): paper, board, plastics, inks, varnishes — typically the largest Scope 3 category - Category 3 (WTT): upstream extraction of fuels combusted - Category 5 (waste): paper offcuts, ink waste, solvent waste - Category 6 (business travel) - Category 7 (employee commuting)
Worked Example: 35-Person Sheet-Fed Offset Printer (UK)
| Source | Annual consumption | Calculation | tCO2e |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas (dryers) | 180,000 kWh | 180,000 ÷ 11.2 m³ × 2.04 ÷ 1,000 | 32.8 |
| Electricity (presses + finishing) | 420,000 kWh | 420,000 × 0.193 ÷ 1,000 | 81.1 |
| Diesel (forklift + van) | 3,500 litres | 3,500 × 2.68 ÷ 1,000 | 9.4 |
| WTT (Category 3) | From above | Gas WTT + diesel WTT | 8.3 |
| Waste (paper offcuts to landfill) | 15 tonnes | 15,000 × 0.459 ÷ 1,000 | 6.9 |
| Commuting (35 employees) | — | 35 × 22 km × 220 × 0.65 × 0.170 ÷ 1,000 | 18.0 |
| Total | 156.5 tCO2e |
A 35-person UK sheet-fed printer at 156 tCO2e gives an intensity of 4.5 tCO2e/employee — well within the printing sector typical range of 3–8 tCO2e/employee for electricity-dominant profiles, higher for gas-intensive operations.
Category 1 (Ink and Substrate) — The Largest Scope 3 Gap
Most printers include operational Scope 3 but omit Category 1 — the emissions embedded in the paper, board, and ink they purchase. For packaging-heavy printers, Category 1 can be 2–5× their total operational emissions.
Enterprise buyers (especially food and consumer goods brands) are increasingly asking for Category 1 data. The spend-based estimation method: multiply your annual spend on each input category (£) by the relevant DEFRA spend-based emission factor (kgCO2e/£). DEFRA publishes these factors by SIC code. For paper and board: approximately 0.8–1.2 kgCO2e/£ of spend depending on product type.
Waste Reporting for Printers
Printing waste includes: - Paper offcuts and rejects — primarily landfill or recycled - Ink waste — treated as hazardous waste in many jurisdictions; check your waste contractor's disposal route - Solvent-based cleaning waste — often incinerated; DEFRA incineration factor 0.021 kgCO2e/kg
Ask your waste contractor for annual tonnage by disposal route. Most waste management companies provide this in their annual account summaries.
Generating a Carbon Passport for Packaging Supplier Questionnaires
DeCarbonOPS covers all operational scope categories relevant to printers: Scope 1 gas and diesel, Scope 2 electricity with country-specific grid factors, and Scope 3 Categories 3, 5, 6, and 7. Generate your Carbon Passport and paste the verification URL into your brand client's sustainability questionnaire — it satisfies the CSRD Scope 3 data request for your operational profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main Scope 1 emission sources for a printing company?
The main Scope 1 sources for printers are: natural gas for press drying ovens and curing (typically the largest), LPG for smaller dryers and site heating, diesel for fork trucks and delivery vehicles, and refrigerant losses from plate cooling and HVAC systems. Gas-fired drying is the most energy-intensive Scope 1 source for sheet-fed and web offset printers.
How do I calculate Scope 2 for a press-heavy manufacturing facility?
Multiply your annual electricity consumption (kWh) by the DEFRA 2023 grid factor for your country. UK: 0.193 kgCO2e/kWh. Germany: 0.380. Netherlands: 0.270. A 420,000 kWh/year UK press facility generates 81.1 tCO2e Scope 2. Switching to a renewable electricity tariff (REGO-backed) is the fastest single Scope 2 reduction — and the cost difference is often negligible.
Should I include paper and ink (Category 1) in my Scope 3 report?
For a complete GHG inventory, yes. Category 1 (purchased goods) includes the emissions embedded in paper, board, plastic substrates, and inks. For packaging-heavy printers, Category 1 can be 2–5× your operational emissions. However, most procurement questionnaires accept operational Scope 3 (Categories 3, 5, 6, 7) as a minimum. Add Category 1 in year 2 using the DEFRA spend-based factor for paper and board (approximately 0.8–1.2 kgCO2e/£ of spend).
How do I report ink waste and solvent waste in my GHG inventory?
Check your waste contractor's disposal route for ink and solvent waste. If it is incinerated (most common for hazardous printing waste), apply DEFRA 2023 incineration factor: 0.021 kgCO2e/kg. If sent to hazardous waste treatment facility for solvent recovery, the factor varies — contact your waste contractor for the appropriate emission factor. Request an annual waste tonnage summary by disposal route to get accurate figures.
Which major brand clients are requesting carbon data from packaging suppliers?
Most large consumer goods companies now request carbon data from their packaging suppliers. Active programmes include: Unilever, Procter and Gamble, Nestlé, Heineken, Coca-Cola European Partners, Tesco, Marks and Spencer, L'Oréal, and LVMH. Pharmaceutical packaging buyers including Novartis, Roche, and AstraZeneca are adding carbon requirements as their own CSRD reporting matures.
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