Paris (HRNW) – Toilet paper is an unexpected source of potentially harmful “forever chemicals” in wastewater across the globe and could be leaching into soils via sewage, a new study on Wednesday said.
“Forever chemicals”, or PFAS, are found in cosmetics, non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing.
They have been linked to several types of cancers, cardiovascular disease, fertility problems and developmental disorders in children.
The synthetic chemicals are present in soil and waterways across the globe, and a new study on Wednesday found that toilet paper “should be considered as a potentially major source” of PFAS in wastewater treatment systems.
The researchers said reducing PFAS in wastewater is “critical”, since the chemicals are potentially harmful.
“Wastewater effluent and sludge are commonly reused for irrigation and/or land application; research has already shown that these two pathways pose a risk for human and environmental exposure to PFAS,” said the study in the Environmental Science and Technology Letters journal.