# How do I calculate the carbon footprint of HDPE tarpaulin?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/tarpaulin-carbon-footprint-per-kg

Add the polymer by weight from your resin supplier, then the plant's electricity for tape extrusion, weaving and lamination. Divide plant energy by kg of tarpaulin passed and add the resin, masterbatch and eyelets for the full figure.

## Materials

- HDPE and LDPE resin by weight; polymer is usually most of the total.
- Colour and UV masterbatch.
- Aluminium or plastic eyelets and rope.

## Process

- Tape extrusion line, the largest electricity user.
- Circular or flat looms for the woven base.
- Lamination and coating extruder, then cutting and stitching.

## Per kg

Report per kg, and per square metre at a stated GSM for buyers who order by size.

## Worked example: tarpaulin plant per kg (one month)

- Electricity: 250,000 kWh x 0.710 = 177,500 kg CO2
- Kg of tarpaulin passed: 300,000
- Plant total: 177,500 / 300,000 = 0.592 kg CO2 per kg
- Add HDPE resin, masterbatch and eyelets 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)
- [PP woven sack vs jute](https://senseible.earth/answers/pp-woven-sack-carbon-footprint-vs-jute)
- [Blown film extrusion per kg](https://senseible.earth/answers/blown-film-extrusion-carbon-footprint-per-kg)

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 2026-10-20.