It’ s a touchy topic, but our choice of loo roll can have real environmental implications, says Kerry MacKay
ENVIRONMENT
Bum deal
It’ s a touchy topic, but our choice of loo roll can have real environmental implications, says Kerry MacKay
Looking to‘ Unblocktober,’ let’ s discuss the one thing we buy to flush away: toilet paper.
There are many ways to clean our behinds. We’ ve been told the Romans used cloth on a stick to wipe and that the Japanese have fancy toilets that wash and dry you. In the UK, it’ s toilet paper that has become the default.
We all use toilet paper and probably haven’ t given it much thought. Sure, it breaks down quickly in water, even if it is part of a sewage spill. Toilet paper from some boats is perhaps a rather fresher release that divers prefer not to think about. Sewage discharge from boats is strictly regulated, but that doesn’ t mean much on a RIB when you’ ve‘ got to go’.
How toilet paper is made has the bigger impact on the planet. Around 27,000 trees are cut down every day to meet our global
toilet paper demand. Sadly, these trees are often from rich old-growth forests.“ Virgin” pulp from older trees provides the softness and strength highly sought after by major manufacturers.
Producing a single roll of traditional toilet paper consumes roughly 230 litres( 60 gallons) of water, and uses 1.3 kWh of electricity, the equivalent of boiling roughly 12 kettles.
Sustainability-wise, the best toilet paper option to choose is made from recycled paper, sourced within the UK, and ideally unbleached.
Things to look out for when browsing supermarket plastic-wrapped toilet rolls:
■‘ Responsibly sourced’ – Usually means it is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council( FSC) as being from a responsibly managed forest. Look for the percentage of FSC-certified pulp used. Responsibly managed does not equal sustainable but is better than uncertified paper pulp sources.
■‘ Recycled’ – Check what percentage of the paper pulp is from recycled sources. This should be shown as a number with the familiar recycling arrows triangle.
■‘ Bamboo’ – In some senses this is more sustainable than wood pulp, as the bamboo grows much faster and requires fewer resources. However, it is often shipped all the way from Asia. Check what percentage of the toilet paper is bamboo vs. wood pulp.
You can of course opt for other ways of cleaning your behind. In other countries, cleaning with water is far more accepted. Using things like bidets or the fancy / scary Japanese toilets for a proper clean.
The most realistic and sustainable option in the UK, is to clean yourself with water and dry off with a towel. You can get a spray hose to add to your toilet, or use a travel bidet that you fill from the tap. You can then use toilet paper to dry yourself. Studies suggest this method cuts toilet paper use down by 50-75 %. To be the most sustainable, have your own personal butt towel / flannel to dry with. Wash that regularly as you would your other personal towels.
The packaging for toilet roll is a whole other issue. As always, no packaging or reusable packaging is best. Packaged in recycled and recyclable paper is good. Plastic wrap is most common on supermarket shelves and can usually be recycled with other soft plastics. Plastic will always be more difficult to recycle than paper though. I hope that after learning more about the humble toilet roll, you will choose a more planet-friendly option. Next time you reach for the toilet roll beside your porcelain throne, ask yourself,“ Is this wipe worth cutting down a grand old tree?”. I also hope that one day, every dive boat I am lucky enough to set foot on offers 100 % recycled toilet roll so we can all s ** t with less guilt at sea. �
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