What Carbon Border Calc does
The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism puts a carbon price on imported aluminium and steel — including cans, foil, closures and tinplate. The calculator estimates your liability by material and origin country, applies the official phase-in factor (2.5% in 2026 rising to 100% by 2034), and deducts any carbon price already paid where the material was produced.
- Covers CBAM-scope packaging metals: primary/recycled aluminium and BF-BOF/EAF steel & tinplate
- Official phase-in applied: 2.5% (2026) → 100% (2034), against an EU reference ≈ €75/tCO₂e
- Deducts carbon price already paid at origin (China, India, Turkey, US, Canada and more)
- Recycled metal (EAF steel, secondary aluminium) sharply cuts both carbon and CBAM cost
How it works
- Select the material
Choose the CBAM-scope metal — primary or recycled aluminium, BF-BOF or EAF steel/tinplate.
- Set origin and year
Pick where the material is produced and the compliance year; the phase-in factor for that year is applied.
- Deduct origin carbon price
Any carbon price already paid at origin is subtracted, so you only pay the EU the difference.
- Read the per-tonne liability
Get the CBAM cost per tonne at the EU reference price, then scale to your import volume.
Frequently asked
Does CBAM apply to packaging?
Yes, for its in-scope materials: aluminium and steel. That captures a lot of packaging — beverage and food cans, aluminium foil and closures, and tinplate — entering the EU. Polymers, glass and paper are outside CBAM scope.
How does the phase-in work?
CBAM liability ramps as free allocations fall: roughly 2.5% of the full charge in 2026, rising each year to 100% by 2034. The calculator applies the correct factor for the year you select.
Why does the origin country matter?
A carbon price already paid where the material was produced is deductible, so you only owe the EU the gap to its reference price. Metal from a high-carbon-price origin carries less CBAM cost than the same metal from an origin with none.
How can I reduce CBAM exposure?
Recycled metal is the big lever: secondary aluminium and EAF steel embody far less carbon than primary, cutting both the footprint and the CBAM charge. Origin choice also moves the number.
Related on OPN
Every figure is served from the PackIndex data layer. Verify against current program schedules and supplier quotes before committing.