Scope 3 emissions are the indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur across a company’s value chain — both upstream and downstream — outside of its own direct operations. For cold chain companies, this matters because the disposable equipment, packaging, and logistics involved in temperature-controlled transport generate significant embedded emissions that sit squarely within Scope 3. Understanding and reporting these emissions is becoming a core part of how logistics-dependent businesses demonstrate environmental responsibility. This article unpacks the most relevant Scope 3 categories for cold chain operations and what teams can do about them.
How do cold chain operations contribute to Scope 3 emissions?
Cold chain operations contribute to Scope 3 emissions primarily through the goods and materials purchased for each shipment, the transport activities carried out by third-party carriers, and the waste generated by single-use monitoring equipment. Because most cold chain activity relies on external logistics partners and disposable supplies, the majority of the environmental footprint falls outside Scope 1 and Scope 2 — and squarely into Scope 3.
Every temperature-sensitive shipment involves a chain of decisions that generate indirect emissions: the production of insulated packaging, the fuel burned by contracted freight carriers, and the disposal of single-use plastic electronic data loggers. More than 80 million single-use electronic data loggers are discarded globally each year. Each one contains plastic, electronics, and a lithium battery — all of which require energy-intensive manufacturing and specialist e-waste disposal. Across an entire supply chain, this adds up to a measurable and largely overlooked source of Scope 3 emissions.
Which Scope 3 categories are most relevant for cold chain companies?
The most relevant Scope 3 categories for cold chain companies are purchased goods and services (Category 1), upstream transportation and distribution (Category 4), downstream transportation and distribution (Category 9), and waste generated in operations (Category 5). These four categories capture the bulk of emissions tied to cold chain monitoring equipment, carrier logistics, and end-of-life disposal.
- Category 1 — Purchased goods and services: The production of single-use plastic electronic data loggers, insulated packaging, and refrigerants all carry embedded emissions from raw material extraction and manufacturing.
- Category 4 and 9 — Transportation: Third-party road, sea, air, and rail carriers generate emissions that the shipper does not directly control but is responsible for accounting for under Scope 3.
- Category 5 — Waste generated in operations: Single-use electronic data loggers require e-waste disposal, which carries its own environmental cost. This is a category that many cold chain teams underestimate when calculating their overall footprint.
For companies in floriculture, fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, and other sectors that ship high volumes of temperature-sensitive goods, these categories can represent a significant share of their total emissions profile.
What does Scope 3 reporting actually require from logistics teams?
Scope 3 reporting requires logistics teams to collect data on the emissions associated with activities they do not directly control — including supplier manufacturing, carrier fuel consumption, and the disposal of operational materials. In practice, this means gathering information from third parties, estimating where exact data is unavailable, and documenting the methodology used to calculate each category.
For cold chain teams specifically, this involves several practical steps:
- Inventory your consumables: Identify every single-use item used per shipment, including data loggers, packaging, and coolants. Understand how each is disposed of at the end of its life.
- Engage your carrier network: Request emissions data or fuel consumption figures from your logistics partners. Many larger carriers now publish this data or can provide it on request.
- Assess disposal pathways: Determine whether your monitoring equipment enters standard recycling streams or requires specialist e-waste handling. Electronic data loggers require e-waste disposal, which should be factored into your waste category calculations.
- Estimate where data gaps exist: Scope 3 frameworks allow for estimates based on spend data or industry averages when supplier-specific data is unavailable. Document your assumptions clearly.
The process does not need to be perfect in its first year. Most frameworks encourage companies to start with their highest-impact categories and improve data quality over time.
How can switching dataloggers reduce a company’s Scope 3 footprint?
Switching from single-use electronic data loggers to paper-based alternatives can meaningfully reduce a company’s Scope 3 footprint by cutting the embedded emissions associated with plastic and lithium battery manufacturing, and by eliminating the need for specialist e-waste disposal. Because the change applies to every shipment, the cumulative impact across a full year of operations is significant.
Standard single-use electronic data loggers contain plastic housing, circuit boards, and lithium batteries. All three materials are energy-intensive to produce and cannot enter standard recycling streams at end of life. Paper-based data loggers, by contrast, use a lithium-free design and a paper substrate sourced from agricultural waste, which means they can be recycled through standard paper waste streams globally — no specialist disposal required.
The battery difference is also worth noting. The battery in paper-based loggers is specifically designed to match the intended single-use lifespan of the product, avoiding the over-engineering common in plastic electronic alternatives. This lithium-free approach removes a major source of embedded emissions and eliminates the hazardous waste classification that comes with lithium battery disposal.
From a Scope 3 perspective, this shift affects two categories simultaneously: it reduces the upstream manufacturing emissions counted under purchased goods (Category 1), and it reduces the waste disposal burden counted under waste generated in operations (Category 5).
How Tapp helps reduce Scope 3 emissions in cold chain monitoring
As the only provider of paper-based data loggers, Tapp has developed a direct answer to the Scope 3 challenges that cold chain teams face. Here is what makes the difference in practice:
- Lithium-free, paper-based design: Tapp’s paper-based data loggers are made from agricultural waste paper and contain no lithium, reducing both manufacturing emissions and hazardous waste at end of life.
- Standard paper recycling: Unlike electronic data loggers that require e-waste disposal, Tapp’s loggers can be recycled through standard paper waste streams anywhere in the world — simplifying disposal and supporting Scope 3 Category 5 reduction.
- No app, no hardware: Any NFC-enabled smartphone can read the label instantly, meaning receiving parties need zero additional infrastructure — reducing the broader footprint of the monitoring process.
- Automatic cloud upload: Data is automatically uploaded to the TappOS dashboard the moment a label is read, giving both sender and receiver immediate access to temperature reports without USB connections or dedicated hardware.
- Supports ESG documentation: Switching to paper-based loggers gives sustainability teams a concrete, quantifiable action to include in Scope 3 reporting under both Category 1 and Category 5.
If your team is working to reduce Scope 3 emissions and wants a monitoring solution that supports that goal without adding operational complexity, get in touch with Tapp to find out how paper-based data loggers can fit into your supply chain.
