American researchers tested 21 brands of toilet paper from different countries and found perfluorinated chemical compounds in all products.
Scientists from the University of Florida in the USA tested 21 brands of toilet paper. Perfluorinated Chemical Compounds (PFAS), also known as “timeless chemicals”, have been found in all products. This is stated in an article in The Guardian published on March 13.
The specimens the scientists studied were taken from countries in North and South America, Western Europe, and Africa.
As noted, PFAS is toxic and practically does not decompose under natural conditions.
At the same time, recycled toilet paper is potentially just as dangerous as regular toilet paper.
Because of the compounds, the waste that people flush in toilets appears to be a major source of water pollution. In wastewater treatment plants, chemicals can turn into sludge, which is then spread on arable land as fertilizer or dumped into natural water bodies.
“Toilet paper should be considered as a potential source of PFAS entering wastewater treatment systems,” said the study’s authors.
“Eternal chemicals” includes about 14 thousand artificially synthesized substances, including Teflon. Typically, PFAS is used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. They are also used in coatings for garment dyeing, food packaging, cosmetics and kitchenware.
As part of the study, Florida scientists did not examine the human health consequences of using toilet paper containing chemical compounds. However, “eternal chemicals” are known to be associated with the development of cancer, complications in the fetus during pregnancy, liver and kidney diseases, autoimmune disorders and other serious problems in the human body.
At the beginning of March, Inverse published an article noting that in recent years there has been a sharp increase in interest in so-called clean cosmetics, whose cosmetic products are claimed to be free of harmful chemicals. At the same time, dermatologists talked about which ingredients to avoid and how to relate to the broader “clean cosmetics” trend.
Source: Focus
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