Why Small Plastics Processors Can't Ignore CO₂ Emissions Reportin

of Dr. Magdalena Laabs May 24, 2025

Author: Dr. Magdalena Laabs
Plastics Industry Expert | Rolbatch Academy

Your clients care about carbon – even if no one else is asking (yet)

Most small plastics processors are not yet legally required to report their CO₂ emissions. But here's the reality:
You’re already being evaluated—even if no one tells you.

Buyers, procurement platforms, and corporate ESG teams are increasingly ranking suppliers based on carbon footprint, transparency, and sustainability readiness. Even without an official request, your absence of CO₂ data can quietly eliminate you from consideration.

“We’re too small” is no longer a valid excuse

Many SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) believe that ESG regulations only apply to large corporations. That’s true—on paper. But in practice, regulations like CBAM and CSRD are turning big companies into accountability machines.

And those machines need your emissions data to complete their own reports.

If you're in plastic packaging, parts, or components—your Scope 3 emissions are already on someone else's desk. And your name may soon be attached to them.

How much CO₂ is 1kg of plastic? Your buyer wants to know

When a customer asks, "What’s the carbon footprint of this product?"—they’re not expecting a lecture.
They want numbers.

Unfortunately, most SMEs still answer:

“We don’t measure that.”

But that’s no longer acceptable in 2025. With plastics generating between 1.5 and 2.5 kg CO₂ per kg, depending on material and source, even a minor shift in your materials or energy source can affect your client's entire sustainability report.

Google proves it: people are searching for answers

Just take a look at the trending searches:

“How much CO2 is 1kg of plastic produced?”
“What is the CO2 emission factor for plastic?”
“Indirect emissions from the supply chain”
“CO2 emissions from purchased electricity”

These aren’t academic questions. They come from procurement officers, compliance managers, and business owners trying to understand their position in an evolving market.

Are you ready to give them answers?

Why indirect emissions matter more than ever

If you think CO₂ only comes from your machines, think again. Most emissions today are indirect:

The energy used to produce your raw materials
The transport of granules or finished parts
Your electricity usage (Scope 2)
Your waste management process
Even your suppliers’ emissions (Scope 3)

Companies that don’t track indirect emissions are becoming high-risk suppliers. And clients don’t like risk.

You don’t need to be a carbon expert – you just need the right tool

That’s why at Rolbatch, we’ve developed a free CO₂ emissions calculator, created specifically for the plastics industry. No generic forms, no guesswork.

Along with it, we offer a full online training course, designed for engineers, owners, and managers in plastics companies.

Here’s what you get:

A sector-specific CO₂ calculator tailored to extrusion, injection, thermoforming, blow molding
Built-in data for virgin, regranulate, regrind
Editable values for country-specific electricity CO₂ factors
Support for tracking Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
Guidance on how to respond to client ESG questionnaires
Video-based learning, case studies, and step-by-step audiobook

This is not academic theory. It’s practical help, designed by industry experts, for companies like yours.

Summary: You have two choices

You can continue believing that ESG is a corporate issue.
Or you can recognize that CO₂ reporting is becoming a new language in B2B sales.

Companies that learn to speak it — win.

Also check out:
on CO₂ footprint, ESG, and sustainability
– Online courses: [Read more here →]
– Our blog articles: [Read more here →]

By Dr. Magdalena Laabs
Plastics Processing Industry Expert
Rolbatch Academy