A 2023 study found a PFAS precursor in toilet paper and wastewater sludge. It established toilet paper as a possible source of PFAS entering wastewater systems. It did not measure PFAS absorption from wiping, compare the health risk of individual brands, or prove that bamboo paper is PFAS-free.
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The study followed PFAS into sewage
Researchers analyzed toilet paper sold in several regions and sludge from wastewater treatment plants. A compound called 6:2 diPAP was the most prevalent PFAS they detected in both materials. Their estimates suggested that toilet paper can be a meaningful source of this compound entering wastewater, with the size of the contribution varying by country and paper use.
The paper focused on a system-level problem. Toilet paper is flushed, PFAS enters a treatment plant, and some of it can remain in sewage sludge. When that sludge is applied to land, persistent chemicals can move into a new part of the environment. That question matters even if an individual roll is not a major source of personal exposure.
What the result does not tell you
- It did not test skin absorption. The study measured paper and sludge, not exposure from using toilet paper.
- It did not publish a safe-brand list. Results were not designed as a shopping comparison of named products.
- It did not certify bamboo paper. Virgin fiber avoids a recycled-paper pathway discussed by the researchers, but papermaking additives can be another source.
- It does not justify throwing away usable rolls. Discarding paper already in the house creates waste without reducing the PFAS that has already been produced.
Use PFAS as a tiebreaker when you restock
The study did not provide a consumer certification for PFAS-free toilet paper. A manufacturer claim may be useful, but it is not the same as a published test for the finished product. Look for a clearly identified fiber source, FSC certification where applicable, no added fragrance or lotion, and specific processing disclosures. “Bamboo” by itself answers only the fiber question.
Recycled paper still has a strong waste argument because it uses recovered fiber. The study raises a contamination trade-off in mixed paper streams; it does not show that every recycled roll contains more PFAS than every bamboo roll. Keep recycled paper if reducing virgin material is the priority. Choose a well-disclosed virgin-fiber option when avoiding that particular pathway matters more.
Two bamboo options with clearer disclosures
Who Gives A Crap Premium Bamboo Toilet Paper is the first option to compare. The company identifies bamboo as the fiber and uses individual paper wrappers rather than plastic film. Those are packaging and material disclosures, not proof that the finished paper contains no PFAS. Our Who Gives A Crap review covers sourcing, packaging and company claims.
Save Trees, formerly sold as Cloud Paper, is another bamboo option. The brand describes the paper as FSC-certified bamboo and makes a PFAS-free claim, but the claim should not be treated as independent testing unless the company publishes the method and result for the finished product. You can check the current Save Trees listing on Amazon. Other unbleached bamboo options still need the same fiber, processing and certification check.
The bamboo toilet paper comparison lists each brand’s PFAS disclosure beside its FSC license code and cost per 100 sheets: a published test result, a self-claim, or nothing. It does not turn a manufacturer PFAS-free claim into independent evidence either.
Put the finding in proportion
EPA describes PFAS as a large class of persistent chemicals found across water, air, soil, food and consumer products. The toilet-paper study adds one source to that wider picture. For this purchase, the useful response is modest: finish what you have, avoid vague claims, and use fiber and process disclosures to choose the next box. The stronger environmental concern is the repeated flow of persistent compounds into wastewater and sludge.