A 2023 University of Florida study tested 21 toilet paper brands from five continents and found PFAS in every sample. The compound detected most often was 6:2 diPAP, a fluorotelomer phosphate diester, which accounted for 91 percent of all PFAS measured. Researchers then traced how much of that compound enters wastewater systems through everyday toilet paper use.
The study, "Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Toilet Paper and the Impact on Wastewater Systems," was published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters in March 2023 by Jake T. Thompson, Boting Chen, John A. Bowden, and Timothy G. Townsend of the University of Florida's Environmental Engineering Sciences department. The full text is at pubs.acs.org.
6:2 diPAP is used as a processing aid in paper manufacturing, helping control how pulp behaves during production and how the finished sheet handles moisture. The study found it across all 21 brands regardless of country of origin. That pattern suggests the chemistry is embedded in standard paper production, not tied to a specific region or supplier.
The wastewater implications are significant. Toilet paper comprises roughly 72 percent of solid material entering wastewater systems. Researchers estimated that toilet paper contributes between 6.4 and 80 micrograms of 6:2 diPAP per person per year. In France, the study calculated that toilet paper may account for up to 89 percent of 6:2 diPAP in municipal sewage; in Sweden, about 35 percent. The stakes compound because 6:2 diPAP can degrade into shorter-chain PFAS in the environment, including PFOA, which the EPA classifies as a possible human carcinogen. In June 2026, the agency released draft guidance recommending against land application of PFAS-containing biosolids in sensitive areas near water and agricultural land.
For individual consumers, the exposure pathway from toilet paper is brief and indirect. The research does not establish consumer-side harm from typical toilet paper use. What it does establish is that PFAS in toilet paper is not a fringe issue. It showed up across all 21 brands tested, spanning multiple continents.
The label language most consumers rely on does not address this. "Chlorine-free" refers to the bleaching process, not to fluorotelomers, which enter through different manufacturing stages. "Bamboo" and "recycled" describe fiber sourcing. A bamboo roll or a recycled-content roll can still contain 6:2 diPAP if fluorotelomer-based processing aids were used during production. The brands worth choosing are the ones willing to publish independent PFAS testing on the finished product.
If you are shopping now, the PFAS-free toilet paper guide covers brands that disclose their processing chemistry and testing results. The product directory is filtered against the criteria this research highlights.
Cover image: Vlada Karpovich via Pexels (Pexels License). Source.
