For most of us, toilet paper is not even a blip on the radar screen. It’s the ultimate “invisible” essential, until, of course, it runs out. So, learning that the rolls in your bathroom might have ties to some not-so-great chemicals, well, that’s a bit of a curveball.
But there’s a scientific reason why researchers are looking into this. It seems that some toilet paper out there has PFAS, or what’s sometimes called “forever chemicals,” which means they just don’t go away. That’s not to say that the rolls in your bathroom right now are a
risk or anything, but rather that an unremarkable aspect of our lives has become part of a bigger, more complex story.
The point of all of this, however, isn’t to try and freak everyone out, but rather to consider the facts, determine what, if anything, we should be worried about, and what we should do about it.
How toilet paper joined the PFAS conversation
This is not the result of a social movement; it is the result of a lab. Scientists studied wastewater samples and realized something unusual. Certain types of PFAS were showing up in the sewage. As they back-tracked to determine the origin, toilet paper came into the picture.
A study conducted in 2023 by the University of Florida analyzed rolls from North America, Europe, and Africa. The researchers detected measurable levels of fluorinated compounds in the rolls. The concern, however, was not the presence of these chemicals but the method by which they were being “disposed of.”
While a jacket or a pan might be used and then stored, toilet paper is used and then immediately disposed of. It goes right into the water system, which was not designed to filter out these kinds of molecules. Eventually, millions of households’ worth of toilet paper can make up a large portion of the PFAS in the sewage sludge.
The interesting thing is, these chemicals are not always intentionally added. Sometimes, they are inadvertently added during the manufacturing process, recycled paper pulp, or even machine lubricants in the factory.
Now, let’s get a little more specific. PFAS is a huge category of chemicals, with thousands of different varieties. While some, like PFOA, are associated with serious health problems, such as increased risk of cancer or suppressed immune systems, this risk level is completely dependent on how you are exposed.