EPA WARM v16 factors for wood pallets
EPA's WARM v16 (December 2023) puts pallets in 'dimensional lumber'. Its net factors per short ton are −2.11 MTCO2E for source reduction, −1.66 for reuse, −0.58 for combustion and −0.92 for landfilling at the national average; composting and anaerobic digestion are not applicable (Exhibit 12-3).
Exhibit 12-3
| Pathway | MTCO2E per short ton | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Source reduction (current mix of inputs) | −2.11 | Exhibit 12-3 |
| Reuse (WARM's recycling pathway) | −1.66 | Exhibit 12-3, footnote a |
| Composting | NA | Exhibit 12-3 |
| Combustion | −0.58 | Exhibit 12-3 |
| Landfilling, national average | −0.92 | Exhibit 12-3 |
What's inside each number
- Reuse (Exhibit 12-9): −0.10 avoided process and transport energy, −1.56 forest carbon storage.
- Combustion (Exhibit 12-13): 0.01 transport, 0.04 N2O, −0.63 avoided utility emissions. Biogenic CO2 from burning is excluded.
- Landfilling (Exhibit 12-15): 0.02 transport, 0.15 landfill CH4, −1.09 landfill carbon storage.
Landfill gas variants
| Landfill type | Net MTCO2E per short ton |
|---|---|
| No landfill gas recovery | −0.92 |
| Gas recovery and flaring | −1.01 |
| Gas recovery and electricity | −1.02 |
Using them
WARM factors compare scenarios. They are for avoided-emissions estimates and decisions, not for a scope 3 inventory, which uses EPA's Hub factors instead; see Hub factors. Source: WARM v16 construction materials chapters, ch. 12. We check for a new WARM version each January and log any change on changes.
Sources
- Documentation for Greenhouse Gas Emission and Energy Factors Used in WARM, Version 16: Construction Materials Chapters, ch. 12 Wood Products (EPA-530-R-23-020) U.S. EPA. Accessed October 27, 2026. Exhibits 12-3 (p. 12-3), 12-9, 12-13, 12-15 and 12-16 (p. 12-10).