Sustainability & Impact
ScrapTrade measures what matters: tonnes recirculated, CO2e avoided, and verified material flows that actually re-enter industrial supply chains. We refuse puffery our reporting is conservative, auditable and designed to support procurement teams, recyclers and investors who need defensible metrics. This page explains how we calculate impact, what we publish, and the limits you should expect when using platform data for sustainability reporting.
What we measure
- Tonnes recycled (by material): steel, aluminium, copper, brass, lead, etc.
- Estimated CO2e avoided (tCO2e): conservative, material-specific savings vs primary production.
- Energy saved (MWh or %): especially tracked for energy-intensive materials like aluminium.
- Virgin material avoided (tonnes): ore, bauxite, iron ore displacement estimates.
- Verified trade rate: % of trades with complete documentation and third-party checks.
- Circularity outcomes: percent of traded volume re-entering supply chains rather than being downcycled.
How we calculate impact (short method)
- Trade-level data capture: material type, mass, grade, documentation, origin/destination, and logistics details where available.
- Material factors: we apply conservative, industry-accepted emission and energy factors per material and cite our sources in the methods appendix.
- Transport modelling: where shipment details exist we use measured figures; otherwise we model transport emissions with conservative defaults and label them as modelled.
- Conservatism & flags: incomplete trades are excluded from verified impact or assigned lower-bound savings. All published figures include data-quality flags for transparency.
(Full methods and factor sources are available in our Sustainability Impact Reporting appendix.)
Data quality & verification
- Verified trades: only trades with full supporting documents (weights, assays, bills of lading) are classified as verified.
- Third-party verification: annual reports are independently verified; spot checks occur quarterly.
- Retention & audit trail: trade records and supporting docs are retained for a minimum of 7 years to support audits and claims. See our Legal & Compliance for details.
Limits & what we dont claim
We are blunt about boundaries:
- We do not claim cradle-to-grave lifecycle benefits unless both upstream and downstream data are verified.
- We do not apply boost or proprietary multipliers to inflate savings.
- Modelled logistics and incomplete documentation will always be clearly labelled and treated conservatively.
Use cases (who benefits)
- Corporate procurement: verified tonnes and tCO2e savings for Scope 3 reporting.
- Recyclers / yards: documented circularity proof for commercial buyers.
- Investors & lenders: trade-level evidence for sustainability-linked finance decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions (featured-snippet style)
Q: How does ScrapTrade calculate CO2e avoided?
A: We multiply verified traded mass by an industry-accepted avoidance factor for that material, add measured transport emissions when available, and use conservative defaults when data is missing. See the full formula in our methods appendix.
More detail: Factors are drawn from peer-reviewed and industry sources; changes to factors are logged and versioned.
Q: Are your impact figures independently verified?
A: Quarterly figures are internally validated; the annual impact report is independently verified by an accredited third party and includes an auditor statement.
Q: Can my company get a branded impact certificate?
A: Yes. For verified trades with complete documentation we issue named certificates suitable for procurement and sustainability reporting. Contact info@scrap.trade.
Q: How often are your metrics updated?
A: Platform-level metrics update monthly; we publish a detailed audited annual report. Methods and factor updates are logged whenever changes occur.
Transparency & sources
Our methodology maps to established circular-economy and resource-efficiency frameworks (e.g., OECD guidance). For full sources and a methods appendix, see: Sustainability Impact Reporting and external guidance such as the OECD circular economy resources: https://www.oecd.org/environment/circular-economy/.
Our commitment in action
We prioritise traceability, conservative reporting and continuous improvement. If you need a quick export of your organisations verified tonnes or a branded certificate for procurement, request access at info@scrap.trade or sign in at ScrapTrade.com.au. For more on the values behind our reporting, see Our Commitment.
Footer contact & company info
ScrapTrade is headquartered in Australia and built for global trade. For enquiries or verification requests: info@scrap.trade.
Company contact (strategic partner example):
Sands Industries
Unit 16/191, McCredie Avenue, Smithfield, NSW 2175
Phone: +61 4415 9165 | +61 477 123 699
Sales: sales@sandsindustries.com.au
