For a long time the only plastic free toilet paper I could find was Isal Medicated. It is extremely hard more like greaseproof paper with a shiny almost waterproof finish. Obviously this makes it extremely uncomfortable to use in a number of ways. Still I was prepared to use the beastly stuff till I went to buy in bulk and found the paper wrapped rolls were shrink filmed in plastic. Damned if I am going to suffer scratches if the rolls are not in fact plastic free.
Loose
However if you are prepared to buy loose, try your corner shop.Here in Huddersfield Khadims sell loose toilets rolls very cheap.
Compostable Packaging
Eco Leaf Toilet Tissue.
Supplied by the good folks at Suma ( a workers cooperative), it comes in a 100% cornstarch compostable wrap called Bioplast. Just so you know, Bioplast is certified to EN 13432 and confirms to the European OK Compost Standard. Made of potato starch it is similar to biobags I am guessing. The rolls themselves are 100% recycled paper and Suma donate some of their profits to www.treesponsibility.com.
If you live in Huddersfield you can buy these at Half Moon Health FoodsAddress: 6 Half MoonStreet HD1 2JJ.
Or you can buy it on line from the Ethical Superstore.
You might want to check these shops. They sell plastic free products and send them out in plasticless packages. Find them HERE
A big plus with these Suma rolls is that they are made in the UK from recycled paper.
Quick Overview
As with our other Ecoleaf paper products, our toilet tissue is made from 100% recycled fibre sourced exclusively from the UK. It’s produced from a mix of consumer and trade waste using chlorine-free processing. The tissue comes in 100% compostable wrap making our packaging sustainable, renewable, non-polluting and non-toxic.
We work in partnership with Treesponsibility to minimize the environmental impact of our products
Made in the UK by Suma, an ethical worker cooperative.
Read more here
Plastic Spoiler
Plus I have heard reports that if you buy in bulk it comes in a plastic bag!
Greencane
Will deliver toilets rolls in a cardboard box.
Each box contains
Total 48 rolls
12 packs of 4 rolls.
Each roll 300 sheets, 2 ply.
UK £23.80 per carton.
The rolls are wrapped in cellophane, a compostable plastic.
Find out more about Greencaneproducts here.
To order products visit the website
Give A Crap do something similar.
The downside is the paper products are made in and imported from China.
Composting Plastic At Home
While most agree that some plastics are indeed compostable, many say that they can only composted in large scale municipal schemes. As we don’t have many large scale municipal schemes this they say is a pointless advantage.I say the days of large scale municipal schemes is fast approaching as governments aim to divert biodegradable rubbish from landfill sites.
AND I have been composting my PLA plastic for years. We have used and composted a number PLA plastic products (including Biobags , Deli pots and disposable Cutlery)
It does take longer than other products and sometimes I have found shreds of it in my compost but I dig it into the soil where it quickly disappears.
Biodegradable, Compostable Plastics
What is biodegradable? Biodegradable products break down through a naturally occurring microorganism into simple, stable compounds which can be absorbed into the ecosystem. More about biodegrading here
What is compostable? To be classed compostable, items must biodegrade within a certain time (around the rate at which paper biodegrades), and the resulting biomass must be free of toxins, able to sustain plant life and be used as an organic fertilizer or soil additive. For a man-made product to be sold as compostable, it has to meet certain standards. One such is the European Norm EN13432. You can find out more here.
Read more about compostable plastics here
More Info
You can find other ways to wipe here….
And you might like these other health & hygiene posts
Buy On Line
These shops sell plastic free products and send them out in plasticless packages. Find them HERE
N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x
And before you go…
If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or
