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The Truth About How Biodegradable Paper Towels Really Are

We use them for spills, cleaning, a quick wipe of a counter – never giving thought about their environmental impact. When something is biodegradable, it means it can easily break down in the presence of sun and air and return its nutrients back to earth.

Paper is actually biodegradable because it’s made from wood. It can also be recycled 6-7 times before the fibers degrade too much to make new paper.

The natural biodegradation process of paper can take 2-6 weeks, unlike biodegradable plastics which can take years. But, the fact it is biodegradable does not mean there are not issues.

A More Eco-Friendly Option

Paper is fully biodegradable and compostable, breaking down in compost piles unlike some biodegradable plastics.

Plastics can contaminate soil, so avoid adding any biodegradable plastic waste to compost, even if labeled as such.

Composting systems allow controlling conditions for quicker degradation of biodegradable materials. Adding worms can further accelerate the process as they consume the waste and turn it into fresh soil.

Is Paper Truly Eco-Friendly?

Surprisingly, using compostable plastics could be more environmentally friendly than paper in some ways. The supply chain for producing paper involves deforestation – 35% of the 32 million acres of forest cleared annually is for paper production, over 11 million acres destroyed.

While plastics aren’t ideal either, is using paper actually worse environmentally? Even toilet paper is not as biodegradable as you might think.

Luckily, there are ways to make paper more eco-friendly:

  1. Recycle waste paper to reduce need for new trees.
  2. Use paper sourced sustainably from recycled or 100% biodegradable materials.
  3. Corporations should use recycled materials and participate in reforestation efforts.

The goal is making biodegradable paper/plastic more sustainable. Opting for reusable paper options is a good idea and can help save money too.

Paper’s Environmental Impact

The notion that paper is good for the environment is misguided.

Paper mills use harsh chemicals like toluene, methanol and formaldehyde to produce paper, polluting water sources when discharged.1 Both biodegradable plastics and paper negatively impact the environment.

To reduce this impact, start home composting biodegradable paper to cut greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.1 Recycle paper and compostable plastics, remembering biodegradable doesn’t necessarily mean environmentally friendly.1

Types of Biodegradable Paper

Most paper is biodegradable and can be environmentally friendly, but degradation time varies by type and conditions:

Paper WasteBiodegradable?Degradation Time
Printing PaperYes2 months
Cardboard BoxesYes3 months
NewspaperYes6 months
Milk CartonsNo*60 months
Photography PaperYes3 months
Toilet PaperYes36 months
MagazinesYes12 months
Paper BagsYes1-2 months

*Milk cartons are marked non-biodegradable due to the plastic lining, which leaves microplastics behind after degradation. Toilet paper’s surprisingly long degradation time of 3 years is likely due to lack of oxygen and light in septic tanks.

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