How do I calculate the carbon footprint of an aluminium ladder?

Weigh the aluminium sections per ladder and multiply by the extruder's per-kg figure. Add rivets, feet and hinges, then cutting, punching and riveting energy, divided by ladders made. Report by height.

Bought-in parts

• Extruded aluminium stiles and steps.
• Rivets, hinges and locks.
• Rubber or plastic feet.

Making

• Cutting and punching.
• Swaging or riveting steps.
• Assembly and packing.

Per ladder

Report per ladder by height and type. Aluminium is almost all of the material, so the billet source matters.

Worked example: aluminium ladder unit per ladder (one month)

• Electricity: 4,000 kWh x 0.710 = 2,840 kg CO2
• Ladders made: 4,000
• Plant total: 2,840 / 4,000 = 0.710 kg CO2 per ladder
• Add aluminium sections and fittings for the full figure

Inputs are illustrative; use your own bills and production records.

What Senseible does here

Senseible reads the plant's electricity bills (CEA grid factor 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, CO2 Baseline Database version 21.0) and fuel invoices (IPCC 2006 defaults) into a fingerprinted Scope 1 and 2 record, the plant-level input to a per-unit figure. Bought-in materials go to the supplier evidence trail; product reports are self-declared drafts.

• Product carbon footprint calculator
• Aluminium extrusion footprint
• Steel almirah footprint
• Aluminium industry

Sources: GHG Protocol Product Standard, ISO 14067:2018, Carbon footprint of products (iso.org), IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy (fuel defaults), CEA CO2 Baseline Database, version 21.0

Last reviewed 2026-10-20.