Is the desire for soft toilet paper ruining the world's forests?

by Amy Judd | February 26, 2009 at 11:23 am

868 views | 31 Recommendations | 19 comments

The desire for soft, quilted toilet paper in our bathrooms is ruining the world's forests. Brands like Cottonelle, Ultra, Quilted Northern Ultra and Charmin Ultra have all seen their sales increase last year because they are known for being fluffy, soft, and kind to your behind.

However, to reach this goal, millions of trees have been cut down in North America and Latin America, including some from old-growth forests in Canada. Toilet paper can be made from recycled materials but what makes the paper so soft is the fibre from standing trees and that cannot be duplicated.

Customers “demand soft and comfortable,” said James Malone, a spokesman for Georgia Pacific, the maker of Quilted Northern. “Recycled fiber cannot do it.”

Toilet paper manufacturers have been the target of campaigns from environmentalists for a while - Greenpeace recently issued a guide for American consumers that rates toilet tissues based on their contribution to the environment. Greenpeace is hoping that with the recession, people will be more willing to look into things made from recycled materials.

“No forest of any kind should be used to make toilet paper,” said Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist and waste expert with the Natural Resource Defense Council.

Less than two percent of sales are from recycled toilet paper in the United States, and Americans use about 23.6 rolls per year.
Other countries seem to be less picky about their toilet paper, as in Europe and Latin America, about 20 percent of sales are from recycled paper.

Turning a tree into toilet paper also requires a lot of water and many brands use tree pulp and then chlorine-based bleach for whiteness.
Most people who say they care about the environment still seem resistant to change their minds when it comes to their toilet paper. However, with the need to tighten belts on every issue these days, environmental groups are hoping this might change.

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JeffHuang

at 12:28 on February 26th, 2009

Very interesting. It seems like everything we do is somehow harming the environment now.

Jarrett Martineau

at 12:31 on February 26th, 2009

This is such a shame — putting our own bums ahead of the world's forests?

René

at 13:04 on February 26th, 2009

Hemp makes great paper, fast growing, needs no fertilizer or pesticide and little water. Just lots of sun. and can grow in poor soil. Helps make the soil better too.

Barry Artiste

at 06:29 on February 27th, 2009

Plus when your done with it, you can sell it to druggies! I am sure they have smoked Worse!

Geneva B

at 14:44 on February 26th, 2009

I try to buy recycled whenever I can, unbleached with the highest percentage of recycled content is best. Perhaps using virgin pulp and paper for our behinds isn't the best bet, let alone crafting dresses out of the stuff.

Yuliya Talmazan

at 14:54 on February 26th, 2009

This is very interesting. I always believed toilette paper gets made from the leftovers of paper making industry. Making toilette paper from standing trees is such a shame. With the modern advancements in chemical engineering, there must be ways of artificially softening recycled toilette paper.

72JAG

at 14:56 on February 26th, 2009

The key to phasing our environmentally destructive practices out is to put a price on the things we value most; if we priced clean air, clean water, working ecosystems, old growth forests, nutrient-rich soils, chemically balanced oceans, etc... then practices that harmed these aspects of the planet would cease to happen.

For example, in the case of extra soft TP, if the price of lumber removed from old growth forests were considerably more expensive than paper made from recycled or other more renewable forests, then it would not be cost -ffective for companies to make TP from old growth trees; who would pay $20 per roll.

Capitalism works and is the most effective tool we have for affecting societal change on the planet. For this reason, many environmentalists have gone back to graduate school and earned MBAs and seek to work from within the business community trying to change humanity's consumeristic ways.

Thank you for the piece that made me smile today.

Roy C

at 17:20 on February 26th, 2009

Eventually, we will simply grow the desired polymers needed to make nice toilet paper in "soups" where bacteria make cellulose and whatever is needed without trees being cut down and all of that.

yxtbl

at 18:58 on February 26th, 2009

In Japan they make toilet paper from used train tickets.

kuhlfoto

at 19:03 on February 26th, 2009

by KUHLFOTO - www.flickr.com/photos/kuhlfoto/

kuhlfoto has contributed a photo to this story.

Paschen

at 19:05 on February 26th, 2009

We may have to go back to the old way. :)

tokyo-jo (not verified)

at 19:21 on February 26th, 2009

in Japan we don't need toilet paper, we have advanced toilet technology which warms us plays gentle sounds to cover our private noises and at the end washes us with warm water, and dries. Western style toilets are so ancient...

kuuva

at 19:30 on February 26th, 2009

Bidet

Paschen

at 19:42 on February 26th, 2009

Japan does use its share of toilet paper as well, in spite of rather modern toilets that are very expensive and not in most homes.

Further Japan's use of packaging and individual packaging of every single unit and good does make a far greater impact as toilet paper does in other countries. The amount of waste generated due to packaging here in Japan is for Europeans especially Swedish and German mind blowing. Only the US can compete with Japan when it comes to packaging. Wish is not a compliment.

We need to drastically reduce paper and plastic use here in Japan more so then most around the globe.

AlvarezGalloso

at 04:51 on February 27th, 2009

Great article. I remember Sheryl Crow talking about this topic. I agree with Rene that maybe hemp can be used for toilet paper.

Barry Artiste

at 06:31 on February 27th, 2009

Yeah, but anyone who believes Cheryl Crow who professes to use only one Square after a Dump, certainly should never shake hands with her or let her touch your food!

Thomas Treelander (not verified)

at 13:07 on February 27th, 2009

Trees are a renewable resource. We continually replant forest in order to sustain our lives.
While they are growing, they renew our air and clean the soil etc etc etc.....

But some people would like us to use our hands like they do in some parts of the world