Passenger Car Tyres (Combusted for Energy)
Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026
Passenger car tyres combusted for energy have an emission factor of 2,016.96 kg CO₂-e per tonne (NGA Factors 2025). Calculate Scope 1 emissions here.
Emission Factor Value
2,016.96 kg CO₂-e/tonne
Try it with your own numbers
Estimated emissions
—
Fuel combustion emissions are reported under Scope 1. Calculated as quantity × 2,016.96 kg CO₂-e per tonne (32 GJ/t × 63.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ, NGA Factors 2025 Table 4).
Official Source & Citation
This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 4 — Solid fuels and certain coal-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
Notes
Derived from NGA Factors 2025 Table 4: energy content 32 GJ/t × combined Scope 1 emission factor 63.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 2,016.96 kg CO₂-e per tonne. Applies to passenger car tyres recycled and combusted for heat or electricity. The natural-rubber share is biogenic, which is why the per-GJ factor sits below coal. 1 tonne combusted = 2,016.96 kg CO₂-e.
Calculation Example
If your facility combusted 250 tonnes of passenger car tyres during the year:
| Working | Result |
|---|---|
| 250 t × 2,016.96 kg CO₂-e/t = 504,240 kg CO₂-e | 504.24 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1) |
End-of-life tyres are one of Australia’s most established alternative fuels — cement kilns in particular prize their high energy content. But tyre-derived fuel is not emissions-free, and the fossil fraction of every tonne burned lands in the operator’s Scope 1 inventory.
At 32 GJ per tonne, passenger car tyres pack more energy than black coal, while their natural-rubber content keeps the per-gigajoule factor well below coal’s. Here is the 2025–26 factor with worked examples you can reproduce in a Scope 1 and 2 calculator.
Quick Verdict
Passenger car tyres recycled and combusted for heat or electricity carry a combined Scope 1 emission factor of 63.03 kg CO₂-e per gigajoule under the NGA Factors 2025. With an energy content of 32 GJ per tonne, each tonne combusted produces 2,016.96 kg of CO₂-equivalent. The facility burning the tyres reports these emissions under Scope 1. The factor sits below coal per unit of energy because the natural-rubber share of a tyre is biogenic carbon. Values come from Table 4, published by DCCEEW for the 2025–26 reporting year.
How to Calculate Tyre-Derived Fuel Emissions
Emissions (t CO₂-e) = Quantity (t) × Energy content (32 GJ/t) × Emission factor (63.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ) ÷ 1,000
Worked Example 1: Cement kiln burning 1,000 tonnes
A cement plant substitutes 1,000 tonnes of shredded passenger tyres for coal.
1,000 t × 32 GJ/t = 32,000 GJ of energy
32,000 GJ × 63.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 2,016,960 kg CO₂-e
2,016.96 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 2: Co-firing trial of 250 tonnes
An industrial boiler co-fires 250 tonnes of tyre-derived fuel. Using the per-tonne shortcut:
250 t × 2,016.96 kg CO₂-e/t = 504,240 kg CO₂-e
504.24 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 3: Energy-based records of 3,200 GJ
A site’s fuel accounting attributes 3,200 GJ to passenger-tyre feedstock.
3,200 GJ × 63.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 201,696 kg CO₂-e
201.7 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
How Passenger Car Tyres Compare to Other Solid Fuels
| Fuel | Energy content (GJ/t) | Scope 1 EF (kg CO₂-e/GJ) | kg CO₂-e per tonne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger car tyres | 32 | 63.03 | 2,016.96 |
| Truck and off-road tyres | 27.1 | 56.13 | 1,521.12 |
| Recycled fossil-derived industrial materials | 26.3 | 81.83 | 2,152.13 |
| Bituminous coal | 27 | 90.24 | 2,436.48 |
| Non-biomass municipal materials | 10.5 | 88.9 | 933.45 |
| Biomass, municipal and industrial materials | 12.2 | 1.8 | 21.96 |
NGER and AASB S2 Reporting
Tyre-derived fuel is a reportable Scope 1 source under NGER: facilities above the thresholds submit combustion emissions to the Clean Energy Regulator using this Table 4 factor, tracking passenger and truck tyre streams separately. The same tonnes carry into your AASB S2 climate disclosure, where an activity-based emissions calculator keeps feedstock records and factors aligned.
Related Emission Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
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.