Trends

Toilet paper: An ecological disaster

Isn't there a better option for hotel toilets, asks Lovell Khanna

Of late there is a growing trend amongst premium hotels in India to opt for only toilet paper (TP) as the medium for personal hygiene in toilets. Earlier, a combination of TP and water faucets (also known as health/hygiene faucets) were used basically to cater to the requirements of foreigners who are comfortable using TP and Indians who are comfortable using hygiene faucets. Hygiene faucets were anything but ‘hygienic’ since they invariably contaminate the toilets with their sprays falling outside the Western Commode (WC), had leakage issues and left the toilets wet and messy - a nightmare for the housekeeping staff.

The issue of contaminated ‘Wet Toilets’ and cost of maintenance prompted hotels to do away with these faucets and convert their toilets to ‘TP only’ toilets, little realising that this was like getting off the hook and into the shark's mouth.

All major hotel chains today profess their commitment to a Green Culture and are making a conscious effort to bring about greater awareness and adoption of eco-friendly practices. However, they seem to have missed one of the main culprits of ecological damage - the toilet paper.

Allen Hershkowitz, a top scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, USA says, "TP is a product that people use for less than three seconds but the ecological consequences of manufacturing it from trees is enormous. Future generations are going to look at the way we make TP as one of the greatest excesses of our age."

Let's take a closer look at why such strong statements are made. Not many people know that 15 million trees (equivalent to over 100 public forests) are cut every year to produce 15 billion toilet rolls to satiate the need for TP around the world. This is the single largest dispensable ecological disaster that mankind has brought on itself.

The ecological damage does not end with just the felling of trees. Water, the other fast diminishing natural resource is the second target of TP. 60 litres of water is used to produce one roll of TP. This translates to almost one trillion litres of water required to produce TP, which is equivalent to the entire annual water consumption of cities like Bangalore and Delhi combined.

Chlorine for bleaching, sulphur, etc., used in the manufacture of TP find their way into our eco-system through the waste effluents and are one of the causes of dioxin pollution, known for its carcinogenic and deformity producing capabilities.

Greenpeace has joined the issue by building awareness on TP's ecological impact and is aggressively promoting the use of recycled paper for manufacturing the same, and is insisting on stopping virgin forests from being felled for TP production by the manufacturers.

What is ironical is that it is a well known fact that TP actually does not clean you thoroughly and leaves excreta residuals on the anal area and onto the hands since the faecal matter permeates through the porous paper and contaminates the fingers/hands. TP is also known to be one of the causes of itch, rash and other diseases. It is also responsible for blockage of pipes and sewage systems.

With so many negatives linked to the use of TP, it is imperative that the hospitality industry seriously looks at addressing the following two major issues:

1. Why are hotels in India feverishly adopting a ‘TP ONLY’ culture in the toilets?

2. Isn't there a better alternative to TP that is eco-friendly, provides hygienic and convenient cleaning and helps in maintaining a dry toilet culture?

There is no doubt that water is the best medium for cleaning ourselves after our daily bowel movements, and we in India have been using the right medium for centuries (unlike the western world which adopted TP and are today facing its disastrous consequences). However, the issue we have failed to address is how to make water a preferred medium for personal hygiene in a convenient, hygienic and eco-friendly manner.

Today, technology has a simple solution to these issues. The solution lies in the adoption of attachable bidets, a device originally invented by the Japanese and now being rapidly accepted by many in the west as the best solution to the above mentioned problems.

What are attachable bidets?

Unlike the old fashioned ceramic bidets which were installed as a separate bowl (thus occupying a lot of space and making the user shift from the WC), attachable bidets are simple devices made of ABS plastic that can easily be installed on any existing WC with a water line connection from a nearby water faucet point or the cistern (a simple T joint is all you require). The device has a specially designed retractable nozzle that sends a jet of water at an angle from below to clean the anal area. It takes just 5-10 seconds to get a thorough cleaning and a refreshing feeling without having to use one's hands to clean. Just turning a knob or pressing a button by your side is enough to activate and close the system. You get a hands-free (therefore germs free) cleaning in a convenient manner while being seated at the WC and use just 10 per cent of water as compared to the traditional hygiene faucets. Since the cleaning is all done from below and inside the WC, no spillage or wetting of toilet takes place, thus maintaining a dry toilet culture.

Attachable bidets come with an array of in-built options like a separate nozzle for feminine personal hygiene, anti-bacterial and soft drop seats, warm water wash, warm air dryers, heated seats, remote controls and medicinal benefits for those with piles, constipation, etc.

They are suitable and convenient for everyone-be it adults, children, elders or those with special needs, like the handicapped.

These attachable bidets are an ideal solution to our toilet hygiene issues. They also help save on the costs associated with expensive TP while providing a hygienic wash without use of one's hands unlike hygiene faucets/TP.

They are very affordable with starting prices at Rs 1,790. The savings on expensive TP and 90 per cent water as compared to hygiene faucets soon recover the cost of the product.

Lovell Khanna is CEO, Mansha Enterprises. The author may be reached at info@mansha-enterprises.com