Why using recycled toilet paper is dangerous to your health, and three green, nontoxic and sustainable alternatives to consider instead.
Like many of you good little girls and boys out there trying to be responsible citizens of Planet Earth, I bought recycled toilet paper in an attempt to be more environmentally conscious.
Alas.
This method of going green in the bathroom is not such a good idea after all. In fact, it is a most decidedly BAD idea.
Green does not necessarily mean healthy!
Recycled Toilet Paper is Toxic
Two studies published in Environmental Science & Technology have shown that BPA and cousin chemical BPS used in “BPA free products” but also highly estrogenic in nature, are much more pervasive in our common, everyday products than we could have imagined.
Yeah, that BPA free stuff is no better and will mess up your hormones just as much. But then, you sensed that was the case already didn’t you? I know I did.
The term “safe chemical” is kind of an oxymoron. If a product contains chemicals, just assume they are toxic unless proven otherwise.
How does all this relate to recycled toilet paper?
Hormone Disruptors in Recycled Paper
These two studies involved examination of hundreds of samples of paper from everyday items such as toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, newspapers, magazines, tickets, and even business cards.
Most of the paper samples tested contained the hormone disruptors BPA, BPS or BOTH.
How and why the paper was so contaminated is a question that requires further study to ascertain.
But for now, the key is to avoid thermal paper as much as possible. This stuff is the worst offender perhaps because it is often recycled and may somehow become contaminated during the reclamation process.
The ink itself may also be a culprit in the overall toxicity of recycled toilet paper.
In fact, it is best to avoid touching all recycled paper period! Sister chemicals BPA and BPS absorb very readily through the skin.
You don’t have to eat it to have them enter your bloodstream.
If your job involves handling thermal paper receipts, for example, best to wear gloves. And, if you can turn down receipts and instead rely on an online itemization of your expenditures, that would be a good step as well.
TP Used for Thin Skin Near Reproductive Areas
As for your backside, opt for toilet paper made from virgin pulp or better still, bamboo toilet paper.
This is an especially important area to protect from BPA and BPS as the skin in these areas is thin and delicate.
This means that the chemicals can more easily enter the bloodstream with very close proximity to the reproductive organs.
Green AND Safe Options to Toilet Paper
If you don’t want to change habits right now, at least switch to bamboo toilet paper (I suggest this brand). It is nontoxic and sustainably produced.
If you really want to go green with your toilet habits, skip the toilet paper entirely and invest in a bidet attachment for your toilet. They are very reasonably priced and easy to install.
If this European method of saving trees doesn’t work for you, your other option is to go the reusable TP cloths route.
Any of these approaches makes for a sanitary, nontoxic and sustainable bathroom experience.
Reference
(1) Bottom Line Publications, Toxic Toilet Paper? You Got It
Sigh. It seems we have to worry about every little thing. Even something as simple as wiping your butt.
I love your article – its a great expose`.
However I am now torn – whilst I agree with what you are saying, in that paper and BPA has been an oncoming problem for a while now, I also know that using virgin tree pulp DOES mean that native forests are sometimes cut down for it. I can not stomach the thought of a native hardwood forest (like we have here in Australia for example) being cut down so I can wipe my butt.
At the same time, the chemical exposure is worrying.
May I suggest an alternative? I am looking further into it at the moment but have found BAMBOO toilet paper to be very good. Also, I will have to re-consider the Family Cloth idea. I initially cringed a few months back thinking it was too crunchy for my liking but after this article, it deserves a second look.
*sigh* Here we go again…
Frank and I have been using cloth wipes *almost* exclusively for the last month or so. It got to the point where I woke up one day and wondered, OK if I’m going to use cloth wipes on my kids, why shouldn’t I be using them? There are still chemicals in TP and baby wipes! I talked to Frank about it, and he said, “Well, go get some flannel then, and we’ll do it.” I love how he never thinks I’m weird. Haha. He’s always excited about finding new ways to be healthier! Anyway, I wrote a post about it here:
Don’t use virgin fiber!!! I really don’t feel good about wiping my rear with rainforests. Use old cotton shirts!!! I’ve been using family cloth for a few years and it is AWESOME!! Now I also have a bidet but before that I just used a peri-bottle and filled it up with warm or cool water. So simple and works great 🙂 Soooo much better than any type of toilet paper could ever be.
Yep! My daughters and I have used cloth wipes for years. It may not be the perfect solution, but it’s certainly the most comfortable and gentle on the skin. I’ve written about the logistics of it here: http://sortacrunchy.typepad.com/sortacrunchy/cloth-toilet-paper-how-and-why.html
thank you for link. my ? all the way down page was what where do i get or how do i make it. tganks agian
Megan at SortaCrunchy, the link to the CDC article on laundry at your blog is not working now. I did a search but didn’t find anything similar. It would be helpful to see what they say will work to kill pathogens in laundry.
I use cloth wipes 🙂 Even my kiddos have their own special stash of wipes. I also have a water sprayer hooked up to the water line, like a makeshift bidet.
Awesome!!!!
I am Muslim and in our religion we are required to wash ourselves after using toilet with bidet.Wiping only never cleans you %100 and you kind of spread the bacteria all over. My whole family used reusable cloth towels to dry themselves but we stop doing it for the sake of toilet paper. I have to get back to that habit soon.
Interesting!
I already do that for my baby but never thought of doing it for ourselves.
Heather, how do you do to wash those cloth wipes?, do you desinfect them with anything in particular? What temperature do you use in your washing machine? Any tip would be helpful, thank you 🙂
I’m not Heather but I do use cloth 😉 I put the cloth tp in the wash and run them through a rinse first, then add more laundry and wash as normal. I use a bidet or peri bottle with poop so there is rarely even a slight *hint* of poop on the cloth, I’ve seen much worse in underwear. Before I used the water, I ran them as a regular cycle of wash on cold and then left them in the wash and added another load, so they got washed twice. Sometimes I add vinegar, sometimes not. I don’t do anything special to disinfect.
I just throw them in with a load of towels or diapers and wash on hot. I have a small wetbag in each bathroom to hold used wipes. Since I also use a sprayer as a bidet there is never anything on the wipe so I don’t need to do a pre-rinse. I honestly never imagined myself as a family wipe user but since I use cloth diapers/cloth wipes/cloth mama pads it was a natural progression. I hate to use regular TP now 🙂
I was wondering if anyone was going to mention family cloth! We are in the process of switching over. I let the kids pick out their own special prints they want to use and they are excited about it!
Because of Muslim tradition, we’ve used a regular garden watering can with the nozzle taken off kept next to the toilet. I’ve heard that traditionally balls of clay or mud were used for wiping, but living in America I’ve never done it… hmm. Something to look into!
If you walk into Home Depot and ask for a “Muslim shower” they’ll usually know what you’re talking about and walk you over to the little shower bidet that you hook up to the toilet!! LOL
Yes, I think that is the best option — cloth!
Avoid BPA, and avoid the problem of too many disposable products. I have some cloth that I use in the bathroom and I’ve been meaning to just go ahead and make the switch for real. My husband is reluctant, but…. It’ll save us money and exposure to chemicals. My babies like it, so why not me?!
I love that idea and had it in my head for a while but I am afraid that the wipes don’t get sanitized after usage in the washmachine sense I make my own wash powder. Can you let me know what you use to get the wipes clean after usage
Oh my gosh :0 thanks!
…also was wondering what your thought were on using natural progesterone for issues like fibrocystic breast disease.
Thank you for this. I knew that recycled product contained BPA (or at least probably do as BPA products get recycled) but I never thought about recycled toilet paper! I was sort of feeling guilty about using non-recycled toilet paper but I’m now glad that I don’t!
Makes sense. I’ll have to think about my next TP purchase after I go through the 35 recycled rolls left in my house.
Pressed enter too early.
I think overall I’d rather put up with a little BPA exposure if it means slightly less deforestation.
I think that this is a really good point. Sometimes we sacrifice “the best” choice for ourselves for the sake of the planet. Luckily there are other options (ie cloth and or water). I also think that “virgin fiber” comes with it’s own risks (other than deforestation) such as dioxin, perfumes, etc…
Call me selfish, but I’d rather save my children than save the planet.
I hear that!
Here’s an idea: You can save yourselves, your kiddies and the planet by making your own TP from scraps of burlap and canvas. After use, simply wash ’em in filtered water (no tapwater please!) using your nifty homemade soap. Hang to dry, of course. They’ll last forever!
Actually Linda, a lot of people use “family wipes.” Usually made of soft flannel to protect those sensitive areas. I haven’t gone there yet, but it’s something I want to try down the road.
Burlap? Canvas? Try Flannel. It lasts just as long and is super soft.
It seems a little short sighted to save your children at the expense of the planet (as a general rule) as they are essentially one in the same. And there are other alternatives (cloth/water) AND this article take the big jump to assume that virgin pulp is not full of other contaminants (which it is..)