Toilet Paper May Be a Source of Cancer-Causing PFAS in Wastewater, Study Says

Photo: Researchers are expressing concerns that toilet paper may be adding harmful chemicals to wastewater systems.

  • Researchers are reporting toilet paper may be releasing potentially harmful substances known as PFAS into wastewater systems.
  • PFAS are found in paper products as well as cosmetics and cleansers.
  • They say the chemicals are suspected of contributing to an array of health issues from cancer to infertility to liver disease.

Toilet paper may play a role in the contamination of groundwater with potentially harmful substances called PFAS.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found in a wide variety of consumer products, including cosmetics, cleansers, and firefighting foams.

While research is not conclusive, PFAS are suspected of playing a role in a variety of conditions, including cancer, reduced immunity, and reproductive and developmental problems.

“Exposure to PFAS through drinking water puts people’s health at risk,” Dr. Katie Pelch , a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, told Healthline. “Groundwater can also be used for agricultural uses and it has been shown that plants, including crops, can take up PFAS, so food in the diet is another potential source of PFAS exposure.”

What researchers found in toilet paper PFAS study Researchers from […]

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