Toxic Toilet Paper

The FDA’ refuses to ban Bisphenol A (BPA), the toxic chemical that leaches out of plastic containers and cans and into our foods.  BPA has estrogen-like effects on the human body, acting as an endocrine disruptor and interrupting our hormonal signals. BPA has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, thyroid dysfunction, obesity and birth defects.

In addition to its use in food containers, BPA also serves as a color developer in thermal paper, such as cash register receipts and when we touch that paper, the chemical can be absorbed through our skin or enter our bodies via hand-to-mouth contact.  As the evidence against BPA grows, some paper manufacturers have been replacing the compound with the structurally similar bisphenol S (BPS), which also has estrogen-like effects.  They might claim that their products are "BPA Free", while BPS, which is still a potent hormone disrupter, is still present!

There is more disturbing news about BPA and its chemical “cousin” BPS.  Two recent studies show that both of these toxins are present in an array of paper products, including toilet paper!

Researchers looked at hundreds of samples of common paper products, including paper towels, napkins, newspapers, magazines, flyers, tickets, luggage tags, business cards, envelopes, currency, facial tissues and toilet paper and found that the vast majority contained BPA and/or BPS.

How did these chemicals get into such a wide array of products? Thermal paper often is recycled, so contamination of other types of paper products can occur during the recycling process.

What can you do?  Avoid touching thermal paper.  If you must touch thermal paper frequently (for instance, because you’re a cashier), wear gloves. Wash your hands immediately after handling newspapers, magazines, flyers or paper money. Use cloth dishtowels, napkins and handkerchiefs rather than paper ones. As for that toxic toilet paper, researchers suggested avoid toilet paper made from recycled paper and instead using virgin pulp toilet paper.  If a toilet paper label does not say “made from recycled paper,” the product probably is from virgin pulp.

For More Information:

http://www.bottomlinepublications.com/content/article/health-a-healing/toxic-toilet-paper-youve-got-...