# Propylene oxide: Emissions

Route and co-product accounting swing the footprint

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/emissions/

What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 2.50 t CO2e per t range about 1.5-4 depending on route and co-product allocation · cradle-to-gate, mixed routes (indicative) Global emissions per year 30.0 Mt CO2e per year 2025 · about 2.5 t x about 12 Mt (indicative)

Per t of PO, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: indicative (basis: Plastics Europe eco-profiles and route LCAs). Global total: derived (indicative).

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 48% Production / process 48% Movement 4%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 1.2 t CO2e per t | 48% | Propylene (about 0.8 t at about 1.5 t CO2e/t) |  | indicative |
| **Production / process** | about 1.2 t CO2e per t | 48% | Oxidant production (chlor-alkali power, H2O2 from SMR hydrogen), steam for separations | HPPO is lowest; chlorohydrin highest | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.1 t CO2e per t | 4% | ISO tanks and parcel tankers |  | indicative |
| **Use** | not applicable | – | Converted into polyols | PU foam blowing agents are a separate GHG issue | n/a |
| **End of life** | depends on PU foam fate | – | Mattresses and insulation landfilled or incinerated | PU recycling is limited | n/a |

#### Other environmental impacts

Chlorohydrin route generates about 40-50 t of salty wastewater per t PO (indicative); PO is a hazardous air pollutant.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Replace chlorohydrin with HPPO (no chlorine, water by-product).
- Low-carbon hydrogen for hydrogen peroxide.
- Recycled polyols from PU foam glycolysis or acidolysis.
- Bio-based propylene glycol from glycerine.

#### India

India's only PO plant uses the chlorohydrin route (indicative); there is no announced HPPO or bio-PG project in India.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **HPPO replacing chlorohydrin** | lower than chlorohydrin, and no brine (indicative) | none at scale | BASF-Dow Antwerp and Sadara; widespread in China | indicative |
| **Bio-propylene glycol from glycerine** | lower fossil CO2 (not published) | depends on glycerine price | ADM (US), Oleon (Belgium) (indicative) | indicative |
| **Foam-to-polyol recycling** | not published | not published | Dow RENUVA, Covestro and start-ups at pilot or early commercial scale (indicative) | indicative |

 For a climate investor For India the opportunity is less about cleaner PO and more about import substitution with a modern route: an integrated HPPO-polyol unit near a propylene source would replace imports of polyols and PG. In circularity, mattress and foam recycling to polyols is early but growing, as India's EPR rules extend to more products. Bio-PG from biodiesel glycerine is a niche linked to biodiesel volumes.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/links/index.md)