The Dirty Truth About Toilet Paper

Did you know that the average American consumes around 57 pounds of toilet paper in a year? This puts America on an annual 19 billion pounds of contaminated paper to be dealt with yearly. But what makes it worse is 19 billion pounds of this toilet paper are actually harming you.

Here is what you need to know.

Toilet paper actually contains toxins comparable to many cleaning and hygiene products such as BPA, fragrances, formaldehyde, chlorine, and diatoxins. Along with all these toxic chemicals are PFAs, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, in toilet paper after it is processed.

You should be concerned because this chemical is actually known as a persistent toxic compound in existence linked to causing suppression in the immune system by drinking water.

PFAs, which are found in your toilet paper, are also linked to causing an array of health concerns, including decreased fertility, hypertension, certain types of cancers, and, for men, impaired testicular function.

It is also toxic towards the environment, finding it as a potential major source of PFAs entering wastewater systems.

Toilet paper also conventionally causes significant deforestation and is an unfortunate waste of Canada’s boreal forest.

The major toilet paper brands are actively choosing to cut down more trees in demand of virgin wood and reducing recycled fibres for “the softest paper."

And this is all under the guise of a greenwashed tactic in the market. Procter & Gamble, owner of the soft Charmin, faced a lawsuit for these false claims of “protect-grow-restore” while burning Canada’s boreal forest and doing the least to restore original levels of biodiversity.

Cutting corners and ruining the environment while rubbing toxic chemicals on your most vulnerable areas is not something anyone should be going through. Here is the best solution. 

Eco Paper, Hygiene and Bidets

Let's take a look at a brand that you cannot feel guilty using, as they are 100% recycled bamboo, chemical-free, and donate 50% of profits towards clean water and toilet paper. They have raised a total of 19 million to date. 

Who Give’s a Crap

Their logo Small Choices make a Big Difference is an accurate statement for the large effects toilet paper truly has on us and the planet. Something miniscule cant be undermined when it is leading to long term health damages. 

But the truth is a society stuck in toilet paper is a slow one. Bidets, a water shower installed next to your toilet, adopted in many major countries all over the middle east, Asia, South America and Europe. And people here need them to. 

Although they sound like an expensive investment, they actually reduce toilet paper costs, making them long term financially efficient. Sitting at less than 100$ to buy, bidets will change your life, improve your hygiene, save your money all while protecting the planet. The amount of water used by bidets is trivial compared to the amount used to make toilet paper. 

It might not be a common practice but using water after your bathroom trip should be part of standard regular hygiene considering the leftover urine and feses leave a risk of infection. 

Don’t wait for the world to catch up, be the start of a movement. Request, raise awareness and implement funds for national hygiene standards to improve. These small changes and reduced toxins are needed to improve the wellbeing of our future.