YOUR TOILET PAPER IS TOXIC

Did you know that there are more than 100,000 chemicals used in most paper products such as toilet paper, baby wipes, paper towels, coffee filters, tea bags and more? Bleach is a common additive for toilet paper products and it is one of the most toxic chemicals for humans  because it creates toxins that can easily enter through the skin and into the bloodstream. Chlorine bleach produces toxic substances such as  dioxin and furans. These toxins accumulate in our bodies, leading to many health issues.

WHY YOUR WHITE TOILET PAPER IS TOXIC

As I’ve mentioned earlier, one of the most common chemicals added to toilet paper is chlorine, which helps bleach the product to remove the natural wood color.  This bleaching process creates cancer-causing chemicals such as dioxins and furans. Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, and can interfere with hormones.  For instance, if you make your coffee using bleached paper filters, 40-70% of the filters dioxins can leach into your coffee.

Moreover, leached paper is considered  the most carcinogenic chemical known to science!  The Toilet Paper Encyclopedia states, “Many pulp and paper mills use chlorine-based chemicals to bleach pulp white. These chemicals react with organic molecules in the wood and other fibers to create many toxic byproducts, including dioxin. Chlorinated toilet paper contains the highest amount of furans out of all cosmetic tissues… Dioxin, a bleaching byproduct, is one of the most toxic human-made chemicals. Once released into the environment, it is persistent because natural bacteria cannot effectively break it down. ‘Dioxin’ is often used as a catchall term for three acutely toxic chemical groups: true dioxins, furans and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).”

• Bisphenol A (BPA):
  This group of chemicals (called bisphenols) are known endocrine disruptors. They  cause infertility, breast cancer, early puberty, and more. In this 2012 study on BPA, it was discovered that “the concentrations [of BPA] are very high in paper products.”
• Research published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found traces of that notorious endocrine disrupter in toilet paper,
• Formaldehyde:
  In one study, formaldehyde in toilet paper was suspected to be to blame for chronic vulva irritation. The National Toxicology Program has classified formaldehyde as a known carcinogen.

CHOOSE SAFER TOILET PAPER OPTIONS:

• Bamboo toilet paper is by far the most common tree-free toilet paper on the market. Bamboo is a much safer option.

• Processed Chlorine Free (PCF): : Seventh Generation, Green Forest, Earth First. See the NRDC’s toilet paper comparison chart.
• Totally Chlorine Free (TCF): Non-recycled paper bleached with oxygen, ozone, or hydrogen.