3.2. Overall emissions to air
Fig. 3 shows the overall emissions to air. Carbon dioxide was the
largest contributor to the overall emissions to air by almost two
orders of magnitude. It comprised over 96% of the overall emissions.
Carbon dioxide emissions were estimated to be 47.7 kg per
roll. Given the raw materials and the energy-intensive production
process, the fact that carbon dioxide was the leader in the emissions
to air was a foregone conclusion. Methane was the next
highest contributor to the overall emissions to air and comprised a
little over 2% of the overall emissions. Over 83% of the methane
emitted came from landfills. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide
were released in significant quantities mostly due to the use of
fossil fuels to provide energy.