Americans may debate politics, sports, and energy policy, but one household staple unites nearly everyone: toilet paper. According to a new report, however, that indispensable comfort may come with some uncomfortable environmental baggage.
The Natural Resources Defense Council’s seventh annual Issue With Tissue scorecard finds that several of the nation’s most popular toilet paper brands continue to rely heavily on forest destruction, even as more sustainable alternatives sit quietly on the same store shelves. Leading the list of poor performers are Charmin, Angel Soft, Quilted Northern, Amazon Basics, and Kirkland, all of which received failing grades.
The report examined 152 tissue products, grading them on fiber sourcing, forest impacts, and bleaching practices. While 36 products earned A or A-plus grades by using 100 percent recycled content, 80 products received D or F grades for relying on virgin forest fiber, much of it sourced from Canada’s boreal forest, where roughly one million acres are clear-cut each year.
“No one wants to wipe away a forest,” said Ashley Jordan, an NRDC advocate and author of the report. “Softness shouldn’t cost a clear-cut.”
The boreal forest is the most carbon-dense terrestrial ecosystem on Earth, storing roughly twice the carbon found in all remaining global oil reserves. Logging releases large amounts of that carbon while disrupting habitat for threatened wildlife, including boreal caribou.
The report suggests even small changes could make a big difference. If every American swapped just one roll of forest-fiber toilet paper for a recycled alternative, the country could save 1.6 million trees, more than a billion gallons of water, and avoid nearly 800 million pounds of climate-warming pollution.
Not all brands fared poorly. Aria, Green Forest, Natural Value, Trader Joe’s 100% Recycled, and Whole Foods’ 365 brand earned top marks, proving that responsible toilet paper does exist.
In a modest breakthrough, Procter & Gamble’s Charmin Ultra Bamboo earned a B grade, though the company’s core products remain among the industry’s worst performers.
The takeaway, according to NRDC, is simple: consumers have choices—and even in the toilet tissue aisle, small decisions can have outsized consequences.