HAND DRYERS
OR PAPER TOWELS?
By Jacob Billings, Rachel O’Flaherty, Dave Wissman, and Liz Wolcott
PSU PAPER TOWEL USE
 There are a total of 245 bathrooms on campus with 328
paper towel dispensers.
 3 types of paper towels are used; all of which are made
from 100% recycled fiber and are ecologo certified.
 Currently PSU orders 2,600 cases of rolled paper
towels, 185 cases of single-fold, and 265 cases of
multifold a year from Tork (subsidiary of SCA).
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT
PRODUCTION/TRANSPORT
We assumed that all tissue products require the same amounts of electricity and fuel per pound of product, and that they are all
manufactured in the same place made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper. We also assumed the plant consumed electricity
produced from the national average mix of sources given by Carbon Counter: 0.42 CO2 per kwh of electricity. Finally we assumed
that the towels are shipped in a 4,000 cubic foot truck filled to capacity, that gets 8 miles per gallon, and that the trip is direct from the
factory.
FACTS REGARDING SCA
 The nearest SCA factory is in Flagstaff, AZ
 In 2009 it produced 44,000 metric tons of tissue
product.
 The plant emitted 20,000 metric tons of CO2 from
combustion of fuel on site.
 57 gigawatt hours of electricity was consumed.
 This resulted in the plant emitting 43.94 thousand
metric tons of CO2 in that year.
WHAT THAT MEANS…
Is that paper towel production requires an emission of CO2 nearly equal in mass
to the towels produced not including emissions from transportation.
TRANSPORTATION
 Diesel combustion emits about 10.1 kg of CO2 per
gallon.
 The total CO2 emission caused by paper towel
transportation from Flagstaff to PSU is 2,154.76 kg.
PSU
 77,218 pounds of paper towel products were
purchased in 2009.
 35,017 kg of CO2 was emitted just from production of
the paper towels purchased.
 Including transportation, the total CO2 emission from
PSU’s paper towel use was 37,171 kg in 2009.
HAND DRYERS
Xcelerator dryers draw 1500 watts during use. PSU would need to install approximately
350 hand dryers to replace all paper towel dispensers on campus. We assumed that the
hand dryers have a ten year life-span and that they are transported in the same way as
paper towels. We also assumed that 1 watt of electricity is used for standby power, 750
for 1.5 seconds after use for power down, PSU’s electricity source emits 0.00082495 kg
of CO2 per kwh. For the comparison it is assumed that an individual drying with a hand
dryer takes 12 seconds and 1 to 3 feet of paper towels are used.
MANUFACTURING AND
TRANSPORTATION
According to third party life-cycle analysis firm Quantis, the manufacture of a
single Xcelerator hand dryer requires the emission of about 212 kg of CO2.
The dryers are manufactured in East Longmeadow, MA making the long-term
average annual CO2 emission from transporting hand dryers to PSU 381.401
kg.
PSU
The long-term average annual CO2 emission from manufacturing hand dryers
for PSU campus would be 7,420 kg. The long-term average annual CO2
emission from transportation would be 381.401 kg.
ELECTRICITY & CO2
Consumption from hand
dryers
 Replacing all paper towel
dispensers with hand dryers
would consume between
37,935 and 71,087 kwh per
year in use and in power
down electricity per year.
 Standby time would be
between 8,617 and 8,684
hours per dryer per year.
Emissions from hand
dryers
 Hand dryer use would emit
between 19,195 and 35,970
kg of CO2 per year.
 Annual CO2 emissions from
standby power consumption
would be between 1,526 and
1,538 kg.
 Total CO2 emissions from
electricity consumed would be
between 20,733 and 37,496
kg.
RESULTS
PAPER TOWELS
 The total CO2 emissions
from PSU’s paper towel
purchases is 37,171 kg.
HAND DRYERS
 The total long term average
annual CO2 emissions from
hand dryers would be
between 28,258 and 45,021
kg.
THE BREAKING POINT
PRICE
COSTS
 In 2009 PSU spent
$74,119.10 on paper towels.
 The lowest perceivable cost
of installation for hand dryers
would be $117,950.
 The lowest estimated cost of
electricity used by hand
dryers is $3,099.27, the
highest $5,807.81
SAVINGS
 By installing hand dryers
PSU would save $68,311.29
if the hand dryers are used at
our highest estimated
projections, $71,019.83 if
they are used at our lowest
estimates.
 The initial cost of installation
would be recovered in 1.66
to 1.73 years.
RESULTS & PROPOSAL
Our research shows that if the hand dryers are used at our highest estimates PSU will
increase its CO2 emissions by 7,849.90 kg a year. However if the hand dryers are
used at our lowest estimates then PSU will reduce its CO2 emissions by 8,913.2 kg.
The prior graph shows that if individuals use 1.5 ft of paper towels or more hand
dryers will be the better choice for reduction of carbon emissions. Considering the
size of a 1.5 ft piece of paper towel it is safe to assume that most individuals use at
least that amount when drying their hands. As a result we conclude that changing
from paper towels to electric hand dryers will be a good choice in reducing carbon
emissions on campus.