InspectAPedia ^®

Should we use special or bio-degradable toilet paper when a home is connected to a private septic system? What kinds of paper or toilet tissue may damage the septic tank or leach fields?

Citation of this article by reference to this website and brief quotation for the sole purpose of review are permitted. Use of this information at other websites, in books or pamphlets for sale is reserved to the author. Technical review, content suggestions, critique are welcomed.

This document is a chapter of Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems an online book on septic systems.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

TOILET TISSUE? - Are Special Toilet Tissue or other Special Septic Products Needed for Homes Connected to a Private Septic Tank & Drainfield?

Ordinary toilet tissue does not harm ordinary septic tank and drainfield systems

In a conventional septic system using a tank and drainfield, ordinary toilet tissue does not harm the septic system. The tissue remains in the septic tank, kept from flowing into the drainfield by septic tank baffles. Actually lower-cost toilet tissues such as the Rite-Aid bathroom tissue shown at left perform better (break down faster and more completely) in septic tanks than some plush extra soft brands containing softening additives.

Eventually toilet tissue breaks down in the septic tank and is not a solid bulk problem at normal levels of usage (See TOILET TISSUE TEST for details). Other types of paper or paper products should not be flushed down a toilet. See WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?. That document explains how to extend the life of the septic system by being careful about what goes into it.

Toilet paper made from recycled paper is recommended

However, because the manufacture of fluffy soft toilet tissue requires the use of new wood fibers from trees, we recommend that consumers purchase and use toilet tissue made of recycled paper. Not because soft toilet tissue hurts our septic system, but because ultra-soft tissue brands mean we're flushing our forests down the drain unnecessarily. Look for toilet tissue that is made entirely or at least in part from recycled paper. It won't hurt you.

In February 2009 Greenpeace joined the ranks of associations who recommend against flushing our trees down the toilet.

Toilet tissue with a high percentage or even 100% of recycled paper is less soft and fluffy than other brands, but we agree with Dr. Allen Heskowitz, senior scientist and waste expert at the Natural Resource Defense Council who, according to a 2009 New York Times report, said "No forest of any kind should be used to make toilet paper." The Times reported that American "... obsession with soft paper has driven the growth of brands like Cottonelle Ultra™, Quilted Northern™ and Charmin Ultra™" brands of toilet tissue.

Proctor & Gamble produces soft toilet tissue sold under the Charmin Ultra™ brand. Kimberly Clark produces soft toilet paper produces soft toilet tissue sold under the Cotonelle™ brand. Scott™ produces soft fluffy toilet tissue as well. Georgia Pacific is the parent company of the toilet tissue brand Quilted Northern Ultra™. Some of these manufacturers also produce other toilet papers made from recycled paper. (See below).

The manufacture of these ultra-soft toilet papers (and similar soft tissue sold under other brands) requires the use of paper made from live, standing trees. According to the Times article, 25% to 50% of the wood pulp used in toilet paper comes from tree farms in South America and the U.S. The remaining 50% to 75% of toilet paper wood pulp is cut from old growth forests including Canadian old growth timber. Some of these boreal forest trees are 200 years old, and all of them were functioning as an important carbon sink.

Toilet paper made from recycled paper fibers also uses less chlorine-based bleach, reducing groundwater pollution, and it produces less landfill volume as well. Using recycled paper-based toilet tissue also means that the volume of toilet tissue in private septic tanks will actually be reduced, possibly slightly extending the time between septic tank pumpouts.

Where to Buy Toilet Paper made from Recycled Paper

Greenpeace recommends these toilet tissue brands as "most green": Green Forest, 365, April soft, Earth Friendly, Fiesta & Fiesta Green, Natural Value, Seventh Generation, Trader Joe's.

Marcal Small Steps and Earth First are also made of 100% recycled fibers but with low percentage of post-consumer content. High post-consumer content toilet paper brands are less likely to have come from ancient forests.

Marcal Corporation markets recycled paper-based toilet paper through Walgreens at prices below the "soft fluffy" brands.

Kimberly Clark Corporation was reported in the Times as not philosophically opposed to recycled products and the company uses them in products sold to restaurants, offices, and schools.

Bio-degradable toilet tissue is recommended in certain cases

Where a chemical toilet is in use, such as on a boat or recreational vehicle, special toilet tissue which dissolves rapidly is recommended.

These other kinds of paper should never be flushed into a septic system

• Paper Towels: Do not flush paper towels into the septic system.
• Documents & newsprint: Do not use your toilet to dispose of unwanted documents, torn-up or not. Most document papers, even newsprint, are slow to degrade in a septic tank.
• Facial tissues into the septic are ok? maybe not. Some authorities also advise not flushing facial tissues into the septic system

See TOILET TISSUE TEST for an explanation of how bathroom tissue breaks down in the septic system. See WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS for a simple explanation of how septic systems work.

Use of Recycled Paper - Based Toilet Paper, US EPA Recommendation, vs. Septic Tank Enzymes

Readers have often asked if it is necessary to add a septic tank treatment chemical or enzyme to reduce septic system clogging problems due to use of toilet paper.

No septic system additves are needed for system maintenance, and some are illegal in some states and in all of canada all of them are illegal, as we discuss in this article (see above).

See our article TOILET TISSUE? for a discussion of recommended kinds of toilet paper to use in homes connected to a septic system. Even regular toilet tissue breaks down to fine particles quickly (see our article TOILET TISSUE TEST) .

But in our OPINION (and that of the US EPA) we recommend using recycled paper-based toilet paper because of the benefit of saving trees - it’s too bad to chop down and grind up new trees to make toilet paper.

The data below quotes from the US EPA's information on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) products, including types of toilet tissue and tissue vendors: [Bathroom Tissue - US EPA's comprehensive bath tissue procurement guidelines (CPG): the following quotes from the US EPA]

Commercial/ Industrial Sanitary Tissue Recommendations from the US EPA

Sanitary tissue products include bathroom and facial tissue, paper towels, napkins, and general-purpose industrial wipers. They are generally sold in rolls or sheets and are used in personal care, food service, and cleaning applications. The grades of sanitary tissue products covered in the CPG are manufactured for use by restaurants, hotels, schools, government agencies, and other similar commercial and institutional buyers. Some recycled-content sanitary tissue products are softer, stronger, and more absorbent than others.

NOTE: The toilet paper content levels should be read as X% recovered fiber, including Y% postconsumer fiber and not as X% recovered fiber plus Y% postconsumer fiber.

Toilet Paper Product Information:

• Database of Manufacturers and Suppliers including toilet tissue using recycled paper: This database identifies manufacturers and suppliers of commercial/industrial sanitary tissue products containing recovered fiber. [See epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/cpg/database.htm ] - we did not find this data base working very well at producing lists of recycled toilet tissue manufacturers - but see our product lists and description at TOILET TISSUE?
• GSA Advantage!: Sanitary tissue products can be ordered through the General Service Administration's (GSA's) online ordering system. In addition, GSA publishes various supply catalogues, guides, and schedules for recycled-content products available through the Federal Supply Service. [See gsaadvantage.gov ]

Share this Article      

...

Technical Reviewers & References

Search InspectAPedia

• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia^® Website
• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also list books on the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEM ARTICLES
HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
SEPTIC BOOKS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS
  SEPTIC PRODUCTS FOR SALE
  ARE ADDITIVES USEFUL?
  PUMPING PREVENTS FAILURES
  CANADA PROHIBITS ADDITIVES
  ONTARIO MINISTRY
  US EPA on ADDITIVES
SEPTIC BOOKS REFERENCES CODES
SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT
TOILET ALTERNATIVES
VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos
VIDEO GUIDES - InspectAPedia.com
WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS
WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE
WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?
NEVER FLUSH INTO SEPTICS
BETTER NOT TO FLUSH
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
OTHER CHEMICALS
CHLORINE IN DRINKING WATER
CHLORINE IN SEPTIC WASTEWATER
DISHWASHERS vs SEPTICS
DRUGS INTO the SEPTIC TANK?
GARBAGE GRINDERS vs SEPTICS
TOILET TISSUE?
TOILET TISSUE TEST
WASHING MACHINES
WATER SOFTENERS
* NO FLUSH SUMMARY LIST

• New York Times: "What Mr. Whipple Didn't Say: Softer Paper is Costly to Forests", Leslie Kaufman, New York Times, 2/26/2009 p. A17
• Greenpeace: 2/18/2009 article at http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/reports4/tissueguide includes a downloadable .PDF file. The Greenpeace site reports "Did you know? Americans could save more than 400,000 trees if each family bought a roll of recycled toilet paper—just once. Recycled tissue products help protect ancient forests, clean water, and wildlife habitat. It's easier on the Earth to make tissues from paper instead of trees. Download our printable pocket-sized version of the Guide."
• Kazunori, Hanyu, Hirohisa Kishino, Hidetoshi Yamashita and Chikio Hayashi. "Linkage between recycling and consumption: a case of toilet paper in Japan." Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 30, Issue 3 (1 September, 2000): 177-199.

  This study examines consumer factors of paper recycling in Japan. The study specifically focuses on toilet paper as a paper product and attempts to reveal how individuals evaluate recycled toilet paper, how the evaluation relates to toilet paper consumption, and why people use or do not use recycled toilet paper. The study also examines what factors influence collection recycling behavior, and what people believe as necessary to achieve a society with better recycling. Responses were obtained from 1242 respondents in Japan. Four results were found. (1) People cannot judge the raw material of virgin toilet papers correctly, while people can correctly judge the raw material of recycled toilet paper. Furthermore, the image of recycled toilet paper also had negative impact on the willingness to use recycled toilet paper. (2) The primary criterion for purchasing recycled toilet paper was pro-environmental attitude. For the virgin toilet paper, it was brand. As expected, recycled toilet paper users had a positive evaluation and image of recycled toilet paper, while virgin toilet paper users had a negative evaluation and image of it. (3) Actual recycling behavior might not relate directly to consumption behavior of recycled paper. Rather, it was determined by the knowledge of waste collection systems and payment systems. (4) Most people have not realized that without the consumption of recycled products, the recycling system is not completed.

• Recycled Content in toilet paper (US EPA definition): When reporting recycled content, some toilet paper (and other product) manufacturers report total recycled content (combining pre- and post-consumer waste re-use) while others report post-consumer only. Both pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled materials provide the environmental benefits of displacing virgin feedstocks such as toilet paper using a high percentage of paper made from trees. Using post-consumer content has the added benefit of providing markets for materials separated for recycling by consumers, such as newspapers and magazines.

• Postconsumer Materials (US EPA definition): A material or finished product that has served its intended use and has been diverted or recovered from waste destined for disposal, having completed its life as a consumer item. Postconsumer materials are part of the broader category of recovered materials.

• Recovered materials: Waste materials and byproducts that have been recovered or diverted from solid waste, but does not include materials and byproducts generated from, and commonly reused within, an original manufacturing process.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• Additives & Chemicals: Septic System Maintenance - Are they even needed? Are they even legal?
• Biomat Formation in the Septic System Drainfield Absorption System - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems - what to do when buying a home with a septic tank
• Cesspools Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Cheating on Water Tests - (Chlorine in Wells and Septics) Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - Water Test Cheating Warnings for Home Buyers and Home Inspectors
• Clogged Drain Diagnosis - is the problem the septic system or the Building drain system?
• Drywells Home Buyer's or Owner's Advice
• Contamination in Buildings how to test buildings for bacterial contamination from Sewage and Septic backup, remediation, & references
• Leach Field Inspection Procedure Septic Leach Fields - how to inspect and diagnose septic drainfield failures - what causes septic field failure?
• Maintenance: Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits and additions by DJF
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance Book - online textbook: how to inspect, maintain, repair septics
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Septic Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Sewage & Septic Backups and what to do about sewage spillage in buildings
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Tank Pumping Frequency Guide for Septic Tanks: When, How, What to Watch For when pumping or cleaning septic tanks
• Water Usage: Capacity: Determining Needed Septic Capacity - Typical residential water usage for people, appliances, and activities.
• What is a Septic System An Engineer's View & Septic System FAQ's
• ...

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic


• ...

InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.

The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems

Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab

Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.

Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting