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Facts and figures
Paul Klymenko, research director of the Planet Ark Environmental Foundation, says recycled toilet paper is made from a range of post- or pre-consumer paper collected from offices, printers and other sources of good quality paper.
"A pulp is created from the paper via a cleaning process that shrinks the material and removes contaminants," he says. "Some manufacturers de-ink the pulp (remove the ink) which usually produces a softer, whiter recycled toilet paper. The pulp fibres are then put through a paper making process to produce the finished toilet paper.
"Standard toilet tissue manufacture uses a pulp made from virgin fibres that is already cleaned and bleached during its preparation."
Edmond Chan of local manufacturer ABC Tissue, who produce the Earthcare range of tissue products, says his company prefers to use high quality post-consumer used paper.
"We prefer to use recycled paper from offices. There is no real difference in the manufacturing process compared to traditional varieties of toilet paper other than the origin of the paper."
Recycled toilet paper reduces the need to cut down trees to create wood fibres and subsequently negates the environmental impact of cleaning and bleaching, Klymenko explains. It also significantly reduces the amount of water and chemicals used to create the product and helps consume our paper waste, therefore reducing landfill and the potential for greenhouse gas generation.
A 2005 NSW government study found that for every tonne of toilet paper that is recycled, 400 kg of greenhouse emissions are saved. And according to the Australian Conservation Foundation, every tonne of paper recycled saves 13 trees, 2.5 barrels of oil, 4,100 kilowatts of electricity, 4 cubic metres of landfill and 31,380 litres of water.
Tesco supermarkets in the UK have embraced the Carbon Trust's 'Carbon Reduction Label'. "Through this program Tesco has carbon footprinted its own brand of standard and recycled toilet paper," Klymenko says. "The research showed that the carbon footprint of its recycled toilet paper was over a third lower than that of the standard product."
Eco-friendly products need not be more expensive than their traditional counterparts, and recycled toilet paper is no exception. It generally costs around the same as non-recycled varieties.
Choices
So with an ever expanding presence on supermarket shelves, what separates top-notch brands from the rest?
Read the fine print and look out for product manufactured from 100 percent recycled materials wherever possible. Keep an eye out, too, for brands endorsed by a known environmental group.
Purchase toilet paper in bulk and choose the brand with the most squares per roll to save packaging waste, and when you're finished remember to recycle the cardboard roll. Toilet paper pulled from the top instead of under saves a few extra squares each use.
Recent advertising campaigns may be littered with adorable puppies, cute kids and catchy jingles, but the environmental credentials of recycled toilet paper are gaining ground. And that is - again, pardon the pun - a welcome relief.
