Recycled Tissues Dirty Little Secret

Think recycled tissue is good for the environment its not as Green as you think?

So re-using newspapers and copier paper and turning it into tissues seems like a great way to save trees yes?

Correct but the process of turning recycled tissue into tissue requires chemical bleaching and de-inking processes. The industrial process of making these chemicals is both harmful to the environment. Worse still these chemicals are retained in the tissue paper so when you use them on your skin you are more likely to suffer irritation and conditions such as Haemorrhoids.

Here is a simple flow diagram.

Here is a picture of the paper pulp going through the de-inking process

Here is the bleaching and de-inking process

As you can see its chemically and industrially intensive. Is it then a case that de-inking and recycled paper is a good idea for copier paper, till rolls or newspapers. Perhaps its best not to have bleached toilet tissue drenched in de-inking agents touching our nether regions.