No one likes to retract a recommendation or end up eating their words, but I knew this would be part of my “green journey”… and it seems another retraction has to be made. (Ugh!)
Last time it was Sigg bottles when it was discovered that their epoxy liner actually contained BPA prior to August 2008. This time the culprit is recycled toilet paper. (I know my husband is going to LOVE this one, because he revolted over my switch to a not-so-cushy recycled brand!)
I happened to stumble upon Jennifer’s post at Eco Child’s Play (who happened to stumble upon an original post at Z Recommends!) about the ugly fact that recycled toilet paper appears to contain BPA. While BPA is not added to the toilet paper it is often present due to the recycling of thermal printing paper (a common component OF the recycled toilet paper).
It seems this is the reason BPA is often turning up in wastewater and tap water. While I’m always an advocate of keeping our water sources safe, I can’t help but wonder what happens when we continually “use” this recycled toilet paper on our… well, “nether regions”. There has to be a degree of absorption into our bodies that, quite frankly, makes me a little uncomfortable.
So now, I’m back to the drawing board. What options are there? Aside from installing a bidet (… by the way, I have a fabulous bidet story if you ever meet me!) or other ideas I’ve read (that include using fabric swatches that you place in a sealed container and then wash {note: not likely to ever happen in THIS household!}) I simply don’t know.
As much as I love to save trees, I think we’re going back to traditional toilet paper until I can find another viable option. In this house BPA is a major no-no.
(By the way, that visible shaking you just saw through your monitor was my husband jumping for joy!)
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My family just moved to London (an entire green shift and adjustment from suburb to city living), but I’ve found organic cotton toilet paper here called “Cotton Soft”. It’s unbleached, 100% organic cotton – no pesticides, no inks, dyes or perfumes, not tested on animals and so on. It’s made by The Cloudy Bay Cotton Company (www.cloudybaycotton.com) in the UK. I’m not thrilled that it’s 4 rolls are wrapped in plastic – but EVERYTHING in London is wrapped in plastic. So disturbing.
PureMothers´s last blog ..Can Environmentalism Go Too Far?
PureMothers – looks like I have to move to London!
Good lord, is nothing safe?
Nevertheless I will still used recycled toilet paper and here’s why: ultimately, sometimes all the naysayers who say my environmental efforts are a meaningless drop in the bucket are partly correct. In this case, my toilet paper is a drop in the bucket, but my dollars are not. We need industry to stop using these chemicals so that products, including toilet paper, are safer. We need recycling to be a viable business, which means we need a market for recycled paper, as well as dropping off our paper to be recycled. So, I think I am more effective in creating a market for recycled paper than I am in avoiding the BPA that may be in my toilet paper. Meanwhile, we need to create pressure on the companies that are producing products with BPA.
Also, I think the science is sketchy here, pollution sources across a watershed are incredibly difficult to track, so I’m not sure recycled toilet paper (which frankly is not popular) is the biggest source of BPAs in water. Also, if the original paper ends up in the landfill, the BPA can still leach into groundwater.
The presence of BPA in the first place makes a lose lose situation. I do think I will stop recycling thermal printed paper, though.
This is one of those places where one must make a choice for oneself as to what is best, and there’s no one right answer.
REALLY? When does it end? I will say that in recent shopping trips I hadn’t bought any of my usual recycled TP for budgetary reasons and the fact that my silly Target doesn’t carry it. Well, and to be brutally honest, being 8 months pregnant and having two toddlers and a husband we BLOW through TP so I felt like I was buying it all the time, so to save a few bucks I was buying a regular (but not fluffy or supersized) brand and feeling quite guilty about it. So thanks for alleviating some guilt for me today!
Frannie´s last blog ..My Newest Addiction — Consignment Sales
I’ve known this for awhile but I find it still the better option. Some day I would love to go to at least cloths for #1 but for now I will keep using it. I worry more about eating BPA than wiping with it.
I’m guessing the amount isn’t that big. I believe I read it’s from the receipts.
Lisa´s last blog ..Product Review: Reusable Bags Depot
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