Packaging Impact Calculator

Welcome to the Packaging Impact Calculator. This interactive tool can help small businesses see how sustainable their product packaging is. 

Get started to see how factors like packaging weight, material type and the amount of recycled content can all make a difference.

Learn more about how to use the Packaging Impact Calculator and how using it can impact your business with the Packaging Impact Calculator fact sheet and infographic. 

For more information about some of the terminology used in the Packaging Impact Calculator, please refer to the Glossary.

NOTE: The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. The Packaging Impact Calculator has been developed by APCO to be used by businesses as an internal reference or guide ONLY. The Calculator is not intended to and should not be used for any on-pack or external claims of recyclability, material recovery, sustainability or environmental impact of your business’s packaging. Please contact APCO if you wish to understand and participate in the process for making on-pack or external claims of recyclability, material recovery, sustainability or environmental impact of your business’s packaging.

USE OF THIS CALCULATOR IS SUBJECT TO THE DISCLAIMER SET OUT BELOW.

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Recycled Content Stands for 'Post-consumer' Recycled Content.

‘Post-consumer’ material is material waste generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities.

For more info about Recycled Content, please see the Recycled Content Guide.
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kilograms

The estimated Greenhouse Gas Avoidance metrics have been calculated by using emission factors that are based on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) techniques. The emission factors are adopted from Green Industries SA (2020), RMIT (2015) and APCO (2022)*.

The approach to how emission factors are calculated is briefly explained below:

1)     Calculate the associated emissions in the collection, transport, sorting and reprocessing to recycled materials

2)     Calculate the associated emissions in the production of the equivalent amount of virgin material (including transport)

3)     Calculate the associate emissions if the recycled material ended up in landfill instead (including collection, transport and treatment)

The net benefit of using recycled material from an emissions perspective is the sum of (1) subtracted by (2) and (3). The avoidance metric is calculated on an equivalent Carbon Dioxide emission basis. 

*References can be found in the References & Disclaimers section
kilograms

Passenger Vehicles that burn fuel emit Greenhouse Gases as tailpipe emissions. This calculator estimates the Equivalent Cars off the Road in relation to Greenhouse Gas (equivalent Carbon Dioxide) Avoidance. 

According to the ABS (2020), the average travel distance for passenger vehicles is 11,100 km, with an average fuel consumption of 11.1 L/100km. Assuming that all passenger vehicles are petrol vehicles with an emission factor of 2.32 kg CO2-e/L (DISER, 2020, p. 14)., each passenger vehicle emits about 2 860 kg equivalent of CO2 per vehicle per year. 

If packaging is not recovered into new products or packaging after disposal, it may end up in landfill. By using recycled content, packaging is diverted from landfill.
kilograms
Do you know?
Optional
grams

Recycled Content Stands for 'Post-consumer' Recycled Content.

‘Post-consumer’ material is material waste generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities.

For more info about Recycled Content, please see the Recycled Content Guide.
%
kilograms

The estimated Greenhouse Gas Avoidance metrics have been calculated by using emission factors that are based on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) techniques. The emission factors are adopted from Green Industries SA (2020), RMIT (2015) and APCO (2022)*.

The approach to how emission factors are calculated is briefly explained below:

1)     Calculate the associated emissions in the collection, transport, sorting and reprocessing to recycled materials

2)     Calculate the associated emissions in the production of the equivalent amount of virgin material (including transport)

3)     Calculate the associate emissions if the recycled material ended up in landfill instead (including collection, transport and treatment)

The net benefit of using recycled material from an emissions perspective is the sum of (1) subtracted by (2) and (3). The avoidance metric is calculated on an equivalent Carbon Dioxide emission basis. 

*References can be found in the References & Disclaimers section
kilograms

Passenger Vehicles that burn fuel emit Greenhouse Gases as tailpipe emissions. This calculator estimates the Equivalent Cars off the Road in relation to Greenhouse Gas (equivalent Carbon Dioxide) Avoidance. 

According to the ABS (2020), the average travel distance for passenger vehicles is 11,100 km, with an average fuel consumption of 11.1 L/100km. Assuming that all passenger vehicles are petrol vehicles with an emission factor of 2.32 kg CO2-e/L (DISER, 2020, p. 14)., each passenger vehicle emits about 2 860 kg equivalent of CO2 per vehicle per year. 

If packaging is not recovered into new products or packaging after disposal, it may end up in landfill. By using recycled content, packaging is diverted from landfill.
kilograms
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References & Disclaimers

DISCLAIMER

This resource has been developed by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) as a resource to support Users of the ARL Marketplace to understand the sustainability of their packaging and the likely impacts of packaging design decisions.

APCO has developed and compiled the information in the Calculator in good faith, exercising all due care and attention. No representation is made about the accuracy, completeness or suitability of the information in this tool for any particular purpose. APCO shall not be liable for any damage which may occur to any person or organisation taking action or not on the basis of this tool. This calculator cannot be used for any on-pack or external claims, including but not limited to recyclability claims, recovery claims or claims on the environmental impact on packaging. This calculator does not replace Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal (PREP) or life cycle assessments (LCAs). The calculator should only be used as an internal reference or guideline.

For packaging to bear the ARL, evidence of packaging dimensions, materials, inks & glues and polymer types are required. Members are responsible for the verification of this data through the usage of the Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal (PREP). The Calculator cannot form part of the evidence for a PREP evaluation. For more information, please contact APCO.

APCO accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions in the software, or for any loss or damage arising from the use of the software program. The tool is subject to revision without notice. Users should seek appropriate advice when applying the information to their specific needs.

REFERENCES

ABS, 2020. Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia. [Online] Available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/survey-motor-vehicle-use-australia/latest-release#data-download [Accessed 9 July 2021].

Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), 2022. Australian packaging consumption & recovery data 2020–21, Sydney: Report prepared by Blue Environment and IndustryEdge on behalf of APCO.

DISER, 2020. National Greenhouse Accounts Factors – Australian National Greenhouse Accounts, Canberra: Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.

Green Industries SA, 2020. South Australia's Recycling Activity Survey 2018–19 Report, Adelaide: Report prepared by Rawtec Pty Ltd on behalf of Green Industries SA.

RMIT, 2015. LCA of Kerbside Recycling in Victoria, Melbourne: Report prepared by RMIT University on behalf of Sustainability Victoria.

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