# How do I calculate the carbon footprint of a chaff cutter?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/chaff-cutter-carbon-footprint-per-unit

Weigh the steel frame, cast flywheel, blades and gears per machine and multiply by supplier figures, adding the motor for electric models. Add cutting, welding, machining and painting energy, then divide the workshop's energy by machines made.

## Material

- Steel sections and sheet for the frame.
- Cast iron flywheel and gears.
- Hardened steel blades and, for powered models, an electric motor.

## Process

- Cutting and welding the frame.
- Machining and blade hardening.
- Painting and assembly.

## Per unit

Report per machine by type and weight. A motorised cutter adds the motor to a hand-operated one.

## Worked example: plant energy per unit (one month)

- Electricity: 15,000 kWh x 0.710 = 10,650 kg CO2
- LPG: 500 kg x 2.98 = 1,490 kg CO2
- Machines made: 400
- Plant total: 12,140 / 400 = 30.4 kg CO2 per unit
- Add steel, castings and any motor 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](https://senseible.earth/calculators/product-carbon-footprint)
- [Rotavator footprint](https://senseible.earth/answers/rotavator-carbon-footprint-per-unit)
- [Foundry footprint](https://senseible.earth/answers/foundry-charge-mix-pig-iron-vs-scrap-carbon)
- [Electric motor footprint](https://senseible.earth/answers/electric-motor-carbon-footprint-per-unit)
- [Steel industry](https://senseible.earth/industries/steel)

Sources: [GHG Protocol Product Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/standards), [ISO 14067:2018, Carbon footprint of products (iso.org)](https://www.iso.org), [IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy (fuel defaults)](https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/vol2.html), [CEA CO2 Baseline Database, version 21.0](https://cea.nic.in/cdm-co2-baseline-database/?lang=en)

Last reviewed 2026-10-21.