Revisiting chloroform emissions from the pulp and paper sector: a brief communication

Revisiting chloroform emissions from the pulp and paper sector: a brief communication | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 12 August 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Revisiting chloroform emissions from the pulp and paper sector: a brief communication Authors : Andrea Mazzeo 0000-0002-7109-0934 [email protected] and Ryan Hossaini Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175502208.88767812/v1 Published Environmental Research Letters Version of record Peer review timeline 179 views 88 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Halogenated Very Short-Lived Substances (VSLS) represent a growing source of chlorine to the stratosphere where they may contribute to ozone layer depletion. Chloroform (CHCl3) is a prominent VSLS with poorly constrained anthropogenic sources that include its unintentional production when wood pulp is bleached for paper production. Recent assessments of the global CHCl3 budget have relied on emission factors (EFs) for the pulp/paper sector derived some 35 years ago when industrial practices where markedly different. Here, we analysed data from the Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers of the USA, Canada and Japan. Combined with data on the national number of pulp mills and bleached wood pulp production volume, we derive plausible lower and upper limit EFs. These factors show a downward trend since the early 2000s which we attribute to a continued phase-down in the use of 'elemental chlorine' bleaching in favour of 'elemental chlorine free' bleaching. The derived mean EFs for the period 2000 to 2020, expressed as mass of CHCl3 per air-dried tons of (adt) of bleached pulp, are in close agreement for the regions considered: USA (39.8 ±32 g/adt), Canada (38.6 ±29.8 g/adt) and Japan (30.1 ± 8.6 g/adt). Assuming these factors are broadly representative of other world regions, a mean annual global CHCl3 source of 3 (1-6) Gg/yr from the pulp/paper sector is estimated for the approximate 2000 to 2020 period. We conclude the sector's contribution to the global CHCl3 budget has likely decreased considerably since the 1990s and that the use of older EFs to calculate present day emissions should be avoided. Supplementary Material File (20250718_mazzeo_and_hossaini_2025_chcl3.pdf) Download 1.89 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 12 August 2025 Peer review timeline Published Environmental Research Letters Version of Record 13 Jan 2026 Published Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords bleaching canada chloroform emissions japan usa woodpulp Authors Affiliations Andrea Mazzeo 0000-0002-7109-0934 [email protected] Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University View all articles by this author Ryan Hossaini Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University View all articles by this author Funding Information Natural Environment Research Council NE/X003582/1 Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 179 views 88 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Andrea Mazzeo, Ryan Hossaini. Revisiting chloroform emissions from the pulp and paper sector: a brief communication. Authorea . 12 August 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175502208.88767812/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. Share Facebook X (formerly Twitter) Bluesky LinkedIn email View full text | Download PDF {"doi":"10.22541/au.175502208.88767812/v1","type":"Article"} Now Reading: Share Figures Tables Close figure viewer Back to article Figure title goes here Change zoom level Go to figure location within the article Download figure Toggle share panel Toggle share panel Share Toggle information panel Toggle information panel Go to previous graphic Go to next graphic Go to previous table Go to next table All figures All tables View all material View all material xrefBack.goTo xrefBack.goTo Request permissions Expand All Collapse Expand Table Show all references SHOW ALL BOOKS Authors Info & Affiliations About FAQs Contact Us Directory RSS Back to top Powered by Research Exchange Preprints Help Terms Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences $(document).ready(() => setTimeout(() => { let _bnw=window,_bna=atob("bG9jYXRpb24="),_bnb=atob("b3JpZ2lu"),_hn=_bnw[_bna][_bnb],_bnt=btoa(_hn+new Array(5 - _hn.length % 4).join(" ")); $.get("/resource/lodash?t="+_bnt); },4000)); (function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'a026c2bfbdbe593a',t:'MTc3OTkwMzE2NQ=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&&(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();