How much time do we spend thinking about toilet rolls? Chances are, not a lot! We might have a favourite luxury brand or maybe we’re happy with whatever is on offer this week. Millions of pounds have been spent to convince us that the toilet roll is about puppies, purity and padding, instead of a basic human function! The market is huge. To put that in perspective, the UK as a whole spends close to £3 billion on toilet paper every year, and we use almost two and a half times the European average. In the course of a lifetime we get through approximately 590 miles of the stuff – that equates to a lot of deforestation around the globe!
However, there are a few basic facts that should give us pause for thought. The well-known top brands use almost entirely virgin pulp, which is to say, wood cut specifically for this purpose. They can also use chlorine bleaching methods, which produces dioxins, which are harmful to human health. Many brands contain PFAs, otherwise known as ‘forever chemicals,’ in the manufacturing process. These toxic elements, when flushed, can enter our water system, harming the natural world – and also us.
Makes you think doesn’t it? A bidet (very European!) may be the most sustainable way to go; however, in terms of space and budget, this may not be an option for most. There are alternatives you can try.
Bamboo is a very fast-growing crop (approximately 35 inches every day) and does not require as much water or any pesticides or fertilizer. It is also biodegradable and will dissolve completely in water and is safe for septic tanks. Good news – no pandas are deprived of their favourite food in the process and the raw material is sea freighted*.
Is there really any need for toilet paper to be white? Is it plastic-free? Choose a company that’s plastic-free and go for a loo roll with no individual wrapping. Quite often they are available on subscription at a slightly cheaper rate, delivered to the door at a frequency set by the customer.
In summary, have a look for toilet paper that doesn’t have added fragrances, is unbleached, not quilted or, if you really like white paper, is whitened using safe processes, i.e. elemental chlorine-free, totally chlorine-free or processed chlorine-free. Maybe research the common brands to see what they put into their product. Recycled toilet paper is a great way of keeping paper out of landfill, but do check that it is free of PFAs and bisphanol A (BPS).
One more fact – did you know that toilet paper is only used by about 30 per cent of the world’s population?
Jo Thomas, Plastic Free Axminster
*Freight is responsible for about 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Air travel is by far the most polluting mode (1 054 g CO₂/t-km). Maritime transport emits the least amount of CO₂ per ton transported (19 gCO2 /ton-km), even if the quality of the fuel used often causes serious local pollution problems.If done carefully, the shift from air to sea can significantly reduce freight emissions without compromising deliveries.
The European Environment Agency estimates that transporting a tonne of materials by sea produces around 19 times less CO₂e than by lorry, and 148 times less than air freight.
