3.2 kg CO₂e
Saved per reclaimed 48×40 pallet vs. new manufacture
1.6 kg CO₂e
Saved per reclaimed gaylord vs. virgin corrugated
92%
Average landfill diversion rate for pooled pallets
Gather These Inputs
Activity data
- Quantity of reclaimed vs. new packaging items (pallets, boxes, totes).
- Weight per unit or material mass (lb or kg).
- Number of reuse cycles or pooling turns achieved.
Baseline assumptions
- Emission factors for virgin manufacturing and end-of-life scenarios.
- Landfill diversion credits for recycling or reuse.
- Transportation distance if comparing alternate sourcing strategies.
Program modifiers
- Moisture or contamination rates that reduce recyclability.
- Energy mix of refurbishment facilities (grid vs. renewable).
- Customer-specific sustainability reporting requirements.
Emission Factors & Benchmarks
| Material / item | Virgin baseline | Reclaimed / pooling | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood pallet (new manufacture) | 8.0 kg CO₂e / pallet | 4.8 kg CO₂e / refurb cycle | Includes lumber harvest, kiln drying, assembly. |
| Gaylord box (virgin corrugated) | 4.2 kg CO₂e / box | 2.6 kg CO₂e / reuse | EPA WARM corrugated board factor; reuse assumes minor repair. |
| IBC tote (new HDPE) | 48 kg CO₂e / tote | 12 kg CO₂e / recondition | Includes cage manufacture; cleaning uses natural gas baseline. |
| Stretch film (new LDPE) | 2.7 kg CO₂e / 20 lb roll | 0 kg CO₂e (recycled) | Credit for diverting film from landfill at $0.20/lb rebate. |
Sources: EPA WARM v15, USLCI database, Repackify refurbishment data (2025).
Five-Step Calculation Method
- 1Calculate baseline impact: Activity quantity × virgin emission factor.
- 2Calculate redesigned impact: Activity quantity × reclaimed/pooling emission factor.
- 3Estimate landfill diversion: (Weight diverted × landfill emission factor).
- 4Add transportation deltas if sourcing changes miles or mode.
- 5Report net impact: Baseline – Redesigned – Diversion credits.
Scenario Examples
Scenario A · Pallet reclamation program (Food distributor)
- 40,000 reclaimed pallets replace new purchases.
- CO₂e saved: 40,000 × (8.0 – 4.8) = 128,000 kg (282,192 lb).
- Landfill diversion: 1.2 million lb wood redirected to reuse cycle.
- Reporting angle: Equivalent to removing 28 gasoline cars from the road for a year.
Scenario B · Gaylord reuse (Recycling processor)
- 15,000 tri-wall gaylords reused 3 times per year.
- CO₂e saved: 15,000 × (4.2 – 2.6) = 24,000 kg.
- Water savings: 55 gallons per box avoided in paper pulping stage.
- Reporting angle: Supports GRI 306 waste intensity reduction target.
Reporting Outputs to Capture
- •Total CO₂e avoided (metric tons and equivalent everyday metric).
- •Landfill diversion tonnage by material stream.
- •Water and energy savings when converting to reclaimed packaging.
- •Scope 3 Category 1 emission reduction percentage year-over-year.
- •Optional: Adjusted EBITDA impact if sustainability metrics tie to financing.
Bring your sustainability targets within reach
Repackify integrates diversion data, emission factors, and financial metrics into a single sustainability dashboard. Let our team validate your assumptions and prepare audit-ready documentation.