Liquid Fuels Scope 1 (Direct — fuel combustion)

Mineral Turpentine and White Spirits

Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026

Mineral turpentine and white spirits emit 2.4056 kg CO₂-e per litre combusted (NGA Factors 2025). Worked examples, calculator and NGER-ready guidance.

Emission Factor Value

2.4056 kg CO₂-e/litre

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Mineral turpentine / white spirits combusted Unit

Estimated emissions

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Solvents combusted in equipment you own or control are Scope 1. Calculated as litres × 2.4056 kg CO₂-e/L (NGA Factors 2025, Table 8). Add 0.6192 kg CO₂-e/L separately for upstream Scope 3.

Official Source & Citation

This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 8 — Liquid fuels and certain petroleum-based products, published by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

Citation: DCCEEW (2025). Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025. Commonwealth of Australia. Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-2025

View official publication ↗

Notes

Derived from NGA Factors 2025 Table 8: energy content 34.4 GJ/kL × combined Scope 1 emission factor 69.93 kg CO₂-e/GJ (69.7 CO₂ + 0.03 CH₄ + 0.2 N₂O) = 2,405.59 kg CO₂-e/kL, i.e. 2.4056 kg CO₂-e per litre. Applies to solvent products — mineral turpentine and white spirits — when burned for energy or destroyed by combustion. The upstream (Scope 3) factor is 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (0.6192 kg CO₂-e/litre), reported separately under Scope 3.

Calculation Example

If your operations combusted 1,500 litres of waste solvent during the year:

Working	Result
1,500 L × 2.4056 kg CO₂-e/L = 3,608.4 kg CO₂-e	3.61 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Mineral turpentine and white spirits are bought as solvents, not fuels — but the moment they are burned, whether in a thermal oxidiser or as waste solvent fed to a boiler, they become a Scope 1 combustion source with a published factor.

The values below come from the NGA Factors 2025 and apply to the 2025–26 reporting year. For sites juggling evaporative and combusted solvent streams, an activity-based emissions calculator keeps the split clean.

Quick Verdict

Mineral turpentine and white spirits emit 2.4056 kg CO₂-e per litre when combusted, reported under Scope 1. The factor is derived from an energy content of 34.4 GJ/kL and the combined emission factor of 69.93 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 8 of the NGA Factors 2025 — identical to liquefied aromatic hydrocarbons. It applies only to solvent that is burned; evaporative losses during painting, printing or cleaning are not fuel combustion. A separate upstream factor of 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (0.6192 kg CO₂-e/L) is reported under Scope 3.

How to Calculate Solvent Combustion Emissions

Emissions (kg CO₂-e) = Litres combusted × 2.4056

Or in NGA energy terms: E (t CO₂-e) = kL × 34.4 GJ/kL × 69.93 kg CO₂-e/GJ ÷ 1,000.

Worked Example 1: Workshop Use

A workshop burns 200 litres of spent white spirits in an approved on-site unit.

200 L × 2.4056 = 481.1 kg CO₂-e

0.48 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Worked Example 2: Waste Solvent Burn

A manufacturer combusts 1,500 litres of waste mineral turpentine for process heat.

1,500 L × 2.4056 = 3,608.4 kg CO₂-e

3.61 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Worked Example 3: Industrial Coater

A coating line’s thermal oxidiser destroys 8,000 litres of solvent across the year.

8,000 L × 2.4056 = 19,244.8 kg CO₂-e

19.24 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

How Solvents Compare to Other Liquid Fuels

Fuel	Scope 1 factor (kg CO₂-e/L)	Energy content (GJ/kL)
Diesel (stationary)	2.7097	38.6
Kerosene (non-aviation)	2.5916	37.5
Mineral turpentine / white spirits	2.4056	34.4
Liquefied aromatic hydrocarbons	2.4056	34.4
Naphtha	2.1923	31.4

All values from NGA Factors 2025, Table 8.

NGER and AASB S2 Reporting

Combusted solvents are Scope 1 energy use under the NGER scheme, reported with the Table 8 factors, while evaporated solvent follows separate accounting — document how you split the two. Under AASB S2, the combustion emissions form part of your mandatory Scope 1 disclosure, and a Scope 1 and 2 calculator keeps the arithmetic consistent year on year.

Aromatic Hydrocarbons

2.4056 kg CO₂-e/litre

Naphtha

2.1923 kg CO₂-e/litre

Petroleum Based Oils

0.5393 kg CO₂-e/litre

Kerosene

2.5916 kg CO₂-e/litre

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the emission factor for mineral turpentine and white spirits in Australia?

Mineral turpentine and white spirits emit 2.4056 kg CO₂-e per litre when combusted under the NGA Factors 2025. The value is derived from an energy content of 34.4 GJ/kL and the combined Scope 1 factor of 69.93 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 8.

When does the solvent factor apply?

When mineral turpentine or white spirits are burned — as a supplementary fuel, in thermal oxidisers destroying solvent-laden air, or when waste solvent is combusted on site. Solvent that simply evaporates during painting or cleaning is not fuel combustion and is treated differently.

Which scope does solvent combustion fall under?

Combustion in equipment your organisation owns or controls is Scope 1 (direct emissions). If a licensed waste contractor takes your spent solvent away and burns it in their facility, the combustion sits in their Scope 1 and typically your Scope 3.

How do I convert litres of solvent to gigajoules?

Mineral turpentine and white spirits have an energy content of 34.4 GJ per kilolitre, so 1,000 litres equals 34.4 GJ. NGER reporting works in energy terms, and 34.4 GJ/kL × 69.93 kg CO₂-e/GJ gives 2,405.59 kg CO₂-e per kilolitre.

Is the factor the same as for aromatic hydrocarbons?

Yes. Table 8 assigns solvents and liquefied aromatic hydrocarbons identical values — 34.4 GJ/kL and 69.93 kg CO₂-e/GJ, or 2.4056 kg CO₂-e per litre. The same figure also applies to "petroleum based products other than those listed" at 69.92 kg CO₂-e/GJ, so unclassified petroleum liquids land in the same range.

What activity data should I use for solvents?

Litres purchased less litres removed as waste is a sound starting point, from supplier invoices and waste-transfer certificates. Only the quantity actually combusted takes this factor — keep records showing how you split evaporative use from combustion.

Does the 2.4056 kg/L factor include upstream emissions?

No. It covers combustion only (Scope 1). The NGA Factors 2025 publish a separate upstream factor of 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ for production and transport — 0.6192 kg CO₂-e per litre — reported under Scope 3.

Do I report solvent combustion under NGER and AASB S2?

Yes. If your organisation meets NGER thresholds, combusted solvents are Scope 1 energy use reported with the Table 8 factors. Under AASB S2, the emissions form part of the mandatory Scope 1 disclosure in your climate statement.

Disclaimer

This page is provided for general information, not professional or compliance advice. The factor shown is reproduced from the official publication cited above, and while we work to keep it current, government factors change — the publication is always the authoritative source.

Before using this value in any formal reporting — including under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 — confirm it against the current official publication and the methods specified by the Clean Energy Regulator.
NetNada is independent of the Australian Government, DCCEEW, and the Clean Energy Regulator. Government data is Crown copyright, Commonwealth of Australia.

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