When paper towels are decomposing, they become organic material. This organic material includes cellulose, which is made up of glucose molecules joined together, and lignin, a type of woody compound. Cellulose and lignin play an important role in the decomposition process. They give the paper towel its brown color, help break down the components of the towel into smaller pieces, and create gas as they do so.
The gases that are produced during the decomposition of paper towels can have negative effects on the environment. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and it's responsible for about 28 percent of global warming emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The other gases that are produced during the decomposition of paper towels include: carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ethylene oxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxides, water vapor, and ozone.