Toilet paper would contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which can cause cancer and fertility problems.
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, “may cause cancer, effects on fertility and fetal development”.
- Disubstituted polyfluoroalkyl phosphates (diPAP), which can convert to more stable PFAS, have been detected in toilet paper rolls and sludge from sewage treatment plants.
- Toilet paper would contribute about 4% of disubstituted polyfluoroalkyl phosphates present in wastewater in the United States and Canada, 35% in Sweden and up to 89% in France.
Food packaging, technical clothing, non-stick coatings… These everyday products contain PFAS, namely per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances nicknamed “eternal pollutants”. “They cause an increase in cholesterol levels, can lead to cancer, cause effects on fertility and fetal development”, explain ANSES. These chemicals, which seep into sewage and soils around the world, have also been identified in everyday cosmetics that flow down the drain.
“Few researchers have investigated whether toilet paper, which also ends up in wastewater, could be a source of these chemicals. Some toilet paper manufacturers add PFAS when turning wood into paper pulp, which may contaminate the final product. In addition, recycled toilet paper could be made with fibers from materials containing PFAS”, indicated researchers from the University of Florida (USA) in a statement.
PFAS: perfluorooctanoic acid, a potentially carcinogenic substance
To find out if toilet paper contains these persistent pollutants, scientists conducted a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters. They decided to collect toilet paper rolls sold in America, Africa and Europe. Then, the team also took samples of sludge from American treatment plants. She then extracted PFAS from toilet paper and sludge and analyzed them for 34 chemical compounds. The main per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances identified were disubstituted polyfluoroalkyl phosphates (diPAP), ie compounds that can transform into more stable PFAS such as perfluorooctanoic acid, which is potentially carcinogenic.
Toilet paper responsible for approximately 89% of diPAPs in wastewater in France
After this discovery, the authors combined these findings with data from other research that included measurements of PFAS levels in wastewater and per capita toilet paper usage in various countries. According to them, toilet paper contributed about 4% of disubstituted polyfluoroalkyl phosphates in wastewater in the United States and Canada, 35% in Sweden and up to 89% in France. “Our results suggest that toilet paper should be considered a potentially significant source of PFAS entering sewerage systems,” concluded the scientists.
