I am one of the few who do not have to worry about searching through the empty racks for the precious rolls of toilet paper amid the Covid-19 pandemic. However, when I look at the rolls of toilet paper stacked up in my storage, do I feel secure? No. I feel anxious.

Toilet paper has been considered a necessity for humans ever since 1857, when Joseph Gayetty first introduced it in the United States. It is one of those products that you will never worry about having too much. People became so dependent on toilet paper that it is impossible to imagine a time when we wiped our posteriors with anything else besides those silky, aromatic, crystal white sheets.

As much convenience as it might bring, toilet paper actually does more harm than good. In addition to the possibility of clogging up your toilet and the environmental devastation they may cause, the seemingly harmless papers are in fact toxic to our bodies. Research shows that toilet paper contains over 100,000 kinds of chemicals, the worst of which is chlorine bleach, the very product that gives toilet paper its pure white appearance. According to the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia, chlorine-based chemicals react with organic molecules in woods and fibers to produce byproducts like dioxin, one of the most toxic and carcinogenic human-made chemicals that can accumulate in our bodies. The WHO also links human exposure to dioxins with “immunotoxicity, developmental and neurodevelopmental effects, and changes in thyroid and steroid hormones and reproductive function.” 

Despite this, toilet paper companies won’t let chemicals get in the way of their revenue. Indeed, there are many brands that advertise chlorine-free products (like Seventh generation, Natural Value, and Trader Joe’s Bath Tissue), but many of these are recycled toilet papers. You may ask what is wrong with sustainable recycled toilet papers? Well, the problem lies within BPA (Bisphenol A), which is found in 81% of paper products in a study published in the journal of Environmental Science and Technology. Unfortunately, recycled toilet papers are made from jumbles of recycled papers, and contamination during the cycling process frequently contributes to the source of BPA. Studies have indicated BPA as a risk factor for breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and many more illnesses.

Worst of all, toilet paper fails to achieve its fundamental purpose –– cleaning. As a matter of fact, toilet paper spreads the feces more efficiently than removing it. A New York Times article by Kate Murphy provided further explanations from Dr. H. Randolph Bailey, a colorectal surgeon. Randolph claims it is crucial to fully eliminate excretions because severe diseases like Cholera, hepatitis, and E. coli are known to be transmitted by feces. He and other experts agreed that water is the most sanitary means to clean ourselves and that people should adopt bidet toilets instead of using toilet papers.

So during times when you cannot find any toilet paper anywhere, don’t panic. You might be saving yourself.

Citations:

EXPOSURE TO DIOXINS AND DIOXIN-LIKE SUBSTANCES: A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN. WHO, 2010, www.who.int/ipcs/features/dioxins.pdf.

Hiskey, Daven. “Toilet Paper Wasn't Commonly Used in the United States Until the Early 20th Century.” Today I Found Out, 12 July 2013, www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/07/toilet-paper-wasnt-commonly-used-in-the-united-states-until-the-early-20th-century/.

Liao, Chunyang, and Kurunthachalam Kurunthachalam Kannan. “Widespread Occurrence of Bisphenol A in Paper and Paper Products: Implications for Human Exposure.” ACS Publications, 23 Sept. 2011, pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es202507f.

Murphy, Kate. “Stop Using Toilet Paper.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Apr. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/opinion/toilet-paper-hoarding-bidets.html?searchResultPosition=1.

Rochester, Johanna R. “Bisphenol A and Human Health: A Review of the Literature.” Elsevier, Elsevier, 2013, www.healthandenvironment.org/docs/RochesterBPAstudy2013.pdf.

Winters, Mel. “Did You Know That Toilet Paper Can Be Dangerous To Your Health?” The Islander, The Islander, 19 Sept. 2017, theislander.net/did-you-know-that-toilet-paper-can-be-dangerous-to-your-health/.