What is the carbon footprint of zinc oxide per tonne?

Most zinc oxide in India is made by vaporising zinc metal or zinc ash in a furnace and oxidising the vapour. The fuel or electricity for the furnace is the plant's own share. The zinc metal bought in carries the larger upstream footprint from smelting.

Split

• Scope 1: furnace fuel, often furnace oil or gas.
• Scope 2: electricity for fans and bagging.
• Scope 3: zinc metal or zinc ash bought in.

CBAM

Zinc oxide is not among CBAM goods, but EU tyre and ceramic buyers may still ask for a figure for their own reporting.

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.

• Zinc die casting
• Chittorgarh zinc and CBAM

Sources: GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2: Energy

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.