Dry ice blasting and your ESG score: four measurable contributions to CO2, water and chemicals
CSRD reporting is forcing production companies to systematically document their scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Cleaning processes are an unexpected but measurable line item in that picture. Water, chemical cleaning agents and the energy associated with chemical removal and drying time; each of those inputs appears in your ESG reporting as a reducible number. The cleaning method you choose has become an ESG decision.
This article explains how dry ice blasting contributes to four concrete ESG themes: CO2 footprint, water consumption, chemical use and secondary waste. You will learn what is measurable, how to process the numbers in your CSRD reporting, and what documentation ColdBlast supplies. At the end you can request a personal ESG advice.
Why cleaning counts in your ESG reporting
Many production companies book cleaning processes outside their ESG scope because they are seen as “operational maintenance”. Under CSRD this is incorrect. Water consumption in cleaning falls under Scope 3 water intensity. Chemical use falls under REACH reporting obligations and can impact your GHG inventory for specific solvents. Energy intensity of drying processes after wet cleaning falls under Scope 1 or 2 depending on your energy mix.
ColdBlast sees at production companies preparing for CSRD that the cleaning line item quickly becomes visible once raw material inputs come into view. An average injection molder performing wet mold cleaning consumes tens of thousands of litres of water and hundreds of kilograms of cleaning agent per year. At bakeries and food companies those figures are higher. Switching to dry ice blasting eliminates that line item entirely.
Contribution 1: CO2 footprint
Dry ice is solid CO2 recovered as a by-product of industrial processes such as ammonia production, ethanol fermentation and hydrogen production. The CO2 used in dry ice blasting is CO2 that would already be in the atmosphere without reuse. It is not a new emission; it is a recycled emission that returns to the atmosphere on sublimation.
For your CSRD reporting this means dry ice blasting qualifies as Scope 1 net-neutral on CO2 emissions from the cleaning action itself. ColdBlast supplies on request the material certificates from the dry ice supplier that document the origin of the CO2. That material is directly usable as substantiation in your GHG inventory.
Contribution 2: water consumption
Dry ice blasting consumes zero water. No cleaning water, no rinse water, no wastewater. For production companies aligning with the EU Taxonomy or SDG 6 (clean water) this is a direct, measurable contribution. ColdBlast calculates on request the water reduction versus your current cleaning method based on your cleaning frequency and the water consumption of the method being replaced.
| Cleaning method | Water use per session | Water use per year (weekly) |
|---|---|---|
| Dry ice blasting | 0 litres | 0 litres |
| High-pressure cleaning | 200-500 litres | 10,000-25,000 litres |
| Foam cleaning | 100-300 litres | 5,000-15,000 litres |
| Manual wet cleaning | 50-150 litres | 2,500-7,500 litres |
Contribution 3: chemical use
Dry ice blasting consumes no chemical cleaning agents. No biocides, no solvents, no alkaline degreasers. For your CSRD reporting under ESRS E2 (Pollution) and E3 (Water) this means a direct reduction of chemical inputs that are reportable. An additional benefit is that the REACH administration for those agents falls away, along with regulatory obligations around storage and use of hazardous substances in food environments.
ColdBlast supplies on request a comparison table of the chemicals your current cleaning process uses versus the zero-input of dry ice blasting. This format is directly usable in your sustainability reporting or stakeholder communication.
Contribution 4: less secondary waste
Dry ice pellets sublimate completely on contact. Only the dislodged contamination remains; no cleaning wastewater, no chemical effluent, no spent solvents. For production companies reporting on waste streams under ESRS E5 (Resource use and circular economy) this is a measurable reduction in waste intensity per production volume.
ESG documentation ColdBlast supplies
| Document | Applicable for |
|---|---|
| Dry ice origin material certificate | GHG inventory Scope 1 CO2 neutrality |
| Water consumption comparison table | ESRS E3 / SDG 6 water reduction substantiation |
| Zero-chemicals declaration | ESRS E2 / REACH administration simplification |
| Waste stream comparison | ESRS E5 waste intensity reporting |
| Operator certification | Social pillar: safe working conditions (ESRS S1) |
Request an ESG documentation package
Do you want to substantiate your cleaning process concretely in your CSRD reporting? ColdBlast compiles an ESG documentation package based on your cleaning situation. We supply the figures, certificates and comparison tables that support your sustainability reporting.
Request ESG package →Want to calculate the financial side first? Our ROI calculator shows what the transition from wet to dry cleaning yields annually in costs, downtime and waste management.
Frequently asked questions
Is dry ice blasting CO2 neutral?
The CO2 in dry ice is recovered as a by-product of industrial processes and returns to the atmosphere on sublimation. No new CO2 is produced. For CSRD reporting this qualifies as Scope 1 CO2-neutral on the cleaning action itself. ColdBlast supplies the material certificate from the dry ice supplier as substantiation.
Does dry ice blasting fall under CSRD reporting?
Yes, indirectly. CSRD requires reporting on water, chemicals and waste streams in your production process. Dry ice blasting is a zero-input method on all three. For companies subject to CSRD (EU Directive 2022/2464) this delivers concrete reduction points in the ESRS E2, E3 and E5 reporting themes.
How do I calculate my water reduction from dry ice blasting?
ColdBlast calculates this based on your current cleaning method, cleaning frequency and water consumption per session of the method being replaced. The result is an annual volume in litres directly usable in your ESRS E3 reporting. Request a calculation via our contact page.
Which ESG standards does ColdBlast documentation align with?
ColdBlast supplies documentation aligned with GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) and GHG Protocol. Specific alignment with other standards such as CDP or SBTi is possible in consultation. Material certificates are ISO-certified by our dry ice suppliers.
Can I include dry ice blasting in my ISO 14001 environmental management system?
Yes. Dry ice blasting is a chemical-free, water-free and waste-free cleaning process that aligns with the reduction measures ISO 14001 requires. ColdBlast supplies the process description and input-output documentation you need for your environmental aspects register.
Does compressor energy count toward the CO2 footprint?
Yes. Compressed air for dry ice blasting consumes energy and thereby produces Scope 2 emissions via your electricity consumption. ColdBlast can calculate this based on your compressor power, blasting time per session and energy mix. In most cases the net CO2 gain versus wet cleaning (including water heating, drying processes and chemical production) is significant.
Does dry ice blasting qualify for the Dutch MIA/VAMIL environmental investment scheme?
For Dutch tax residents a Cold Jet machine may qualify for the MIA/VAMIL scheme as an environmental investment. ColdBlast advises on this in the intake conversation. The machine must appear on the RVO Environmental List; we can indicate whether the relevant model qualifies. Always discuss this with your accountant as well.