Your Toilet Paper May Be Contaminating the World’s Water Supply

 

Wastewater, does it need to be clean? After all, it’s been used already.

Well, unfortunately, contaminants in water are a critical issue. The chemicals in wastewater contaminate other waterways, posing a health risk to sea life and other animals. They can also get into the soil and harm plant life.

PFAs (polyfluoroalkyl substances) are common water pollutants. They can cause organ damage and negatively affect reproductive health. They are often found in cosmetics and cleaners, but new research shows an unexpected contaminant source- toilet paper.

How PFAs Sneak into Wastewater Through Toilet Paper

Personal care items are known contributors to PFAs. However, researchers weren’t aware of their high presence in toilet paper until recently. Some paper manufacturers add PFAs when converting wood into pulp that is used to make paper. Recycled toilet paper can also be sourced from materials made with PFAs.

So how much damage can toilet paper do to waterways? Timothy Townshend of the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida in Gainesville conducted a study to find out.

Townshend and his team extracted samples of toilet paper and sewage from the waters of North America, Africa, Central and South America, and Western Europe. They knew they would detect PFAs in the samples. But they were wondering how much and what types of PFAs they would find.

They were alarmed to find an especially high concentration of 6:2 diPAP, a chemical that has been linked to impaired testicular function in men. It accounted for 91% of the PFAs in toilet paper samples and 54% of the PFAs in sludge water. These statistics are frightening and establish toilet paper as “a potentially major source of PFAs entering wastewater systems.”

The presence of 6:2 diPaP is only part of the issue. The species can interact with human waste and PFOA, an especially dangerous cancer-causing type of PFA. If even a little bit of the diPaP in the world’s waterways evolves into PFOA, it could exceed the EPA limit by leaps and bounds.

Could Bamboo Toilet Paper Be the Solution?

Positive steps must be taken to clean up contaminants, but the demand for toilet paper isn’t going away. So, what’s the solution? Bamboo toilet paper could be the agent that moves change and lower contaminants. 

Bamboo toilet paper is not made from wood pulp. It does not contain PFAs, chlorine and dioxins, and BPAs that irritate skin, cause health conditions, and contaminate wastewater. It is biodegradable and safe for the environment.

Additionally, bamboo is a fast-growing crop that reduces deforestation.

Shop RB Life Brands Bamboo Toilet Paper Solutions

If you want to add bamboo toilet paper to your home goods arsenal but have trouble finding and affording it, RB brands could be your solution. We offer money-saving subscription services for high-quality bamboo toilet paper delivered straight to your home. We provide free shipping, secure checkout, and a money-back guarantee.

Contact us to learn how we are doing our part to minimize water pollutants.