Sorry To Dump On You, But Toilet Paper Is Bad For The Planet

Yes, we are here to make a stink. Because while we’ve all gotta wipe our tushies (more on that later), our use of toilet paper is contributing to deforestation in Canada’s boreal forest — the world’s largest forest left intact.

That’s according to the latest “Issue with Tissue” scorecard from the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which has rated the sustainability of various toilet paper brands since 2019.

The biggest offenders were toilet paper brands from companies Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, and Georgia-Pacific. (LAist has reached out to these companies for comment.)

“[They] continue to make these flagship brands almost entirely from forest fiber, which is driving harmful consequences for the climate, biodiversity, and communities that depend on these forests,” said Ashley Jordan, who authored the NRDC report.

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About that forest to toilet pipeline

Canada shield is covered by boreal forests

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In 2022, the United States accounted for 65% of all of Canada’s pulp and paper exports, the majority of which came from provinces that are home to boreal forest. More than a million acres of the forest are chopped down each year, according to Canada’s national forestry database, in part to support our TP needs here in the U.S.

The NRDC toilet paper rankings give the highest grades to TP made from recycled content and the lowest to brands sourced primarily from forest fiber. Brands like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods’ recycled bath tissue got A grades, while brands like Charmin, Scott and Cottonelle got Fs.

Know which TP is more sustainable

The annual NRDC TP scorecard.

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Before you get too bummed out, there are ways to address the issue with the tissue.

In addition to regulatory changes, such as new international sourcing requirements to better protect forests and pledges from corporate brands like Kimberly-Clark to be forest fiber-free by 2030, Jordan said the biggest win for this year’s scorecard was that, of the 29 toilet paper brands that received an A or B grade, half were launched just within the past five years.

“Sustainability is proving to be a disruptive force in this market, which has long been anything but,” she said.

Recycled and bamboo products are becoming more popular, but it’s important to check those products are legitimate. Bamboo TP, for example, should be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which ensures bamboo products grown in a sustainable way, e.g. not from plantations created by clear cutting natural forest.

Why it’s never a bad day to get a bidet

Using a bidet cuts down on toilet paper needs.

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The unsung hero, though, remains the humble bidet. Cleaning your bum with the bidet’s squirt of water before wiping is actually the ideal way to cut down on TP use.

“They also actually require less water per use than the tissue making process does,” Jordan said. “So it's like a double whammy of environmental benefits.”

While Americans have been behind the rest of the world when it comes to bidet use, the trend is catching on. The technology takes a bit of getting used to, and if you are not yet ready, just know that they’ll always be there for you.