Clean but dirty: environmental impact of toilet paper

For many people, toilet paper is an indispensable everyday item. But this comfort comes at a price. Producing toilet paper is not only resource-intensive, it's also harmful to the environment. Every year, millions of trees are felled worldwide to meet the demand.

How Much Toilet Paper Does One German Use?

The average German uses 134 rolls per year, surpassed only by the USA with 141 rolls.

Toilet Paper – A Short-Lived Product

Fresh toilet paper made from wood requires a lot of water to produce. For a product that lasts a few seconds.

Extracting the cellulose fibers from the wood is one of the most energy- and water-intensive steps in papermaking.

The wood fibers are broken down in chemical or mechanical processes and then bleached – another water-intensive step. These enormous amounts of water put a considerable strain on the environment, especially in regions that already suffer from water scarcity. On top of that, paper is often presented as a natural product and an ecological alternative. Yet large quantities of chemicals are used in its production.

Tree by Tree, Sheet by Sheet

Trees are felled around the world every day to produce toilet paper. These massive interventions in nature have far-reaching consequences for our environment. Forests are not only home to countless plant and animal species, they also play a crucial role in the carbon cycle. When trees are cut down, the carbon dioxide stored inside them is released, which accelerates climate change. And that's not all: clearing forests leads to soil erosion and degrades water quality.

Another problem is the partly illegal logging for paper products, which – together with the industrial processing of wood – has led to a dramatic decline in primeval forests. Experts report that between 2000 and 2010, Indonesia lost twice as much forest area to the pulp industry as it did to palm oil plantations.

From the Indonesian Rainforest to Our Bathrooms

One often overlooked aspect of toilet paper's environmental impact is transportation. The journey from raw material to finished product involves numerous transport stages that consume considerable amounts of energy and resources. These emissions are mainly caused by the use of fossil fuels for transport over long distances.

The Waste Problem of Toilet Paper

Toilet paper contributes significantly to the global volume of waste. Billions of rolls are used worldwide every year, and they become waste immediately after a single use. In addition, the plastic packaging often used to protect toilet paper from moisture adds to global plastic pollution.

An End to Waste: Sustainable Alternatives for Your Bathroom

We see it exactly as NABU does: "Out of responsibility toward nature and people, valuable wood should primarily be used for durable goods rather than for short-lived products such as hygiene papers and packaging." The environmental impact of toilet paper is considerable and wide-ranging. Production requires immense amounts of water and energy, and millions of trees are felled each year to meet global demand. These practices contribute to deforestation, the release of CO2, and the acceleration of climate change.

Given these challenges, there's an urgent need to think about more sustainable alternatives. A product that disappears down the drain after a few seconds shouldn't cost us a rainforest.

1. Recycled Toilet Paper

Recycled toilet paper is already a good start, because according to the German Environment Agency, producing recycled paper uses far fewer resources than conventional white toilet paper. Energy consumption is only about half as high, and water use is between one-seventh and one-third of the amount needed to produce conventional toilet paper.

2. The Butt Shower as an Eco-Friendly Alternative

When it comes to durability and toilet paper consumption, our butt shower really scores. Unlike toilet paper, it isn't produced for the trash, and paper use drops significantly because paper is only needed for patting dry – or not at all.

The butt shower offers several benefits:

• Significantly lower resource consumption
• Less waste
• No rubbing – which many people find more pleasant, especially with hemorrhoids or frequent bowel movements

Instead of felling trees, we're committed to regenerating forests and plant trees together with the Eden Reforestation project.

By rethinking our hygiene routines and switching to more sustainable alternatives, we can make a meaningful contribution to protecting the environment. No drama: water instead of paper is simply the more obvious solution – for your butt and for the forest.