# Does CO2 used as welding shielding gas count in Scope 1?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/co2-welding-shielding-gas-scope-1

Yes. CO2 released at your site from cylinders or bulk tanks is a direct emission, so it is Scope 1 at its mass, usually small next to fuel and power. For mixed gases count only the CO2 share. Argon is not a greenhouse gas. Welder electricity is Scope 2.

## How to count it

1. Add up kg of CO2 bought from cylinder or bulk invoices.
2. Adjust for stock at the start and end of the year.
3. For mixtures, multiply by the CO2 percentage on the label.

## Common questions

- If it is small, you can say so and include it anyway; leaving it out needs a stated reason.
- Making the gas is the supplier's emission, reported in your Scope 3 if you choose to include it.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible keeps each bill and invoice behind every figure, dated and fingerprinted, so a reviewer can trace a number back to the document it came from.

- [Fire extinguisher refill](https://senseible.earth/answers/fire-extinguisher-refill-scope-1)
- [Industrial gases in Scope 3](https://senseible.earth/answers/industrial-gases-oxygen-nitrogen-scope-3)
- [Structural steel per tonne](https://senseible.earth/answers/fabricated-structural-steel-carbon-per-tonne)

Sources: [GHG Protocol Corporate Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard), [IPCC AR6 Working Group I](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/)

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.