Let me start off by saying any potential toxin exposure from a paper towel is not high on my list of concerns.  So please do not be too concerned if you still have “normal” paper towels at home ( full disclosure I have them on occasion) … I would be more concerned about toxins in toilet paper. However- if you are looking for more things to switch out in order to achieve an even higher level of low tox living and environmentally friendliness lets talk more about paper towels.

Concerns:

1. Chlorine

• Reason Used:  Whitening and softening

• How to ID: many white colored paper towels

• Concerns: Most bleaching processes use chlorine, which produces  a by product called dioxins. Dioxins are persistent environmental pollutants (POPs) and, according to the WHO “can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.”

* some white colored paper towels use Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) Whitening

If you have young children at home this might sound familiar from diapers.  This is when, instead of chlorine, chlorine dioxide (a chlorine derivative) is used for bleaching. Although it’s not 100% non-toxic, it’s a much less toxic method.  Most papers made of bamboo pulp, use chlorine dioxide instead of the harsher elemental chlorine.

2. BPA

• Reason Used: unintentionally added to recycled paper ( papers that are recycled together with thermal receipts with BPA etc) 

• How to ID: often found in paper towels made with recycled paper

• Concerns: BPA (and all bisphenols) are known endocrine disruptors, which means they can cause infertility, breast cancer, early puberty, and more. These are chemicals that can have substantial effects on our health even at low quantities.

3.  PFAS

• Reason Used: unintentionally added, not clear how but it is suspected that production machinery could be at fault

• How to ID:  pretty impossible unless you have a lab.  Mamavation tested toilet paper for fluorine levels and they found:24% of toilet paper tested at Mamavation’s EPA-certified lab had indications of PFAS “forever chemicals”.  Of those with detectible levels,  50% of the products with detectable levels of organic fluorine were bamboo products. Ione was made from recycled paper… we could suspect paper towel would be similar

4. Phthalates⁣
➡️Reason Used: to “ Attach” Fragrance chemicals to paper⁣
➡️How to ID: scented paper towels⁣
➡️Concerns: Will mess with our hormones, linked to obesity, infertility, cancers, diabetes etc.⁣

5. Environmental concerns

• Paper towels and other paper products can be extremely detrimental to our environment. A lot of our paper towels come from old-growth and endangered forests

 What you can do:

• Purchase paper towels that are certified sustainably sourced by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) i

• Purchase bamboo instead of paper based products

• Reduce your paper towel use altogether and/or switch to tree-free paper towels.

So. taking all of this into consideration what should you do?  What is the lowest tox alternative for paper towels?

1. Reduce usage: At home, we have drastically reduce our paper towel use altogether. We now have tons of kitchen towels we use for cleaning around the kitchen and at the table. We also have a basket in our pantry where we drop the dirty ones, which makes it easier to wash/replace

2. Switch to tree-free paper towels. This includes fabric ones like those below and bamboo ones

3. Decide what you are more comfortable with ( low level chlorine in conventional paper towel or low level BPA in recycled paper towel) and use less.

SHOP THE POST

MioEco 10 Pack Organic Reusable Paper Towels Washable

Reel paper towels (made in USA, no plastic packaging ) 

Belinlen Washable Bamboo Paper Towels Reuseable & Machine Washable

CABOO Tree Free Bamboo Paper towels

Natural Unbleached Cotton Birdseye Paperless Towels

10 Pack Flour Sack Dish Towels, Certified Organic Cotton, Flour Sack Towels,

Zeppoli Classic Kitchen Towels - 15 Pack - 14" x 25" - 100% Natural Cotton Kitchen Dish Towels