How to use this calculator
- Enter or choose aluminium recycled.
- Enter or choose aluminium factor.
- Enter or choose paper and card recycled.
- Enter or choose paper and card factor.
- Enter or choose plastics recycled.
- The emissions avoided updates as you type. Use Copy result or Share to keep it.
Method
Avoided emissions = Σ (Mass of material × Avoided-emissions factor for that material)
- Mass
- kg of each material sent for recycling
- Factor
- kg CO₂e avoided per kg recycled, from the methodology you use
Worked example
- Aluminium 10 × 9 = 90; paper 100 × 0.5 = 50; plastics 20 × 1 = 20; glass 50 × 0.3 = 15 kg CO₂e.
- Total: 90 + 50 + 20 + 15 = 175 kg CO₂e, or 0.175 t.
With these example factors, recycling 180 kg of mixed material avoids about 175 kg CO₂e, more than half of it from 10 kg of aluminium.
What the result means
The result is only as good as the factors. Published factors differ by country, by what they assume recycled material replaces and by whether collection and transport are included, so use one consistent source and name it when reporting.
Assumptions and limits
- Factors are net avoided emissions per kg collected for recycling.
- All collected material is actually recycled.
- The default factors are illustrative examples, not official values.
Questions
Why does aluminium save so much?
Making aluminium from ore is very energy-intensive, while remelting scrap needs only a small fraction of that energy.
Where do I find factors?
Government greenhouse-gas conversion factor tables and waste-model tools publish factors per material; use the one that matches your reporting framework.