Why Switch to Ecofriendly Toilet Paper
With Waste Action Maleny
We all use toilet paper, but may not be aware that most toilet rolls sold in supermarkets have huge environmental impacts.
These include:
• Deforestation – 15% of the world’s deforestation is caused by cutting down trees to make toilet paper. This causes temperature rises and destruction of habitat and wildlife.
• Water waste – It takes approximately 140 litres of water to make one roll of standard toilet paper.
• Carbon emissions – Standard toilet paper production requires large amounts of electricity, mostly from power generated by burning fossil fuels.
• Toxic chemicals – Most brands use harmful chemicals such as chlorine bleach, synthetic fragrances, and dyes. These leach into waterways and damage the environment.
• Plastic waste – Most supermarket brands wrap toilet rolls in plastic, which takes hundreds of years to break down in landfill, creating microplastics and damaging the environment.
Fortunately, there are better toilet paper alternatives that minimise damage to the environment. These include brands that:
• use recycled paper – keeps paper waste from landfill;
• use bamboo – grows quickly and uses less water;
• do not use harsh chemicals in their production;
• use paper packaging rather than plastic.