The discussion on India’s economy took a toilet break. Among the numerous mentions in the Economic Survey 2023-2024 of tax, trade deficit, fiscal prudence — terms that some might find difficult to metabolise — there was a very unusual mention of toilet paper. It tries to send a green message to the West, which might not be a smooth wipe.
The Economic Survey 2023-24 presented by Nirmala Sitharamanmentioned toilet paper to underscore its rampant use in Western countries and its significant environmental implications.
In the chapter dealing with climate change, the annual document also highlighted how substitute hygiene practices followed in Asian countries have been ignored by the West and how they can provide valuable insights into more sustainable use of resources.
The question is, what does toilet paper have to do with India’s economy?
“The entire developed world uses toilet paper made of ‘virgin wood’ for the most regular body activity, every single day, multiple times over,” says the Economic Survey 2023-2024.
It, then, refers to a survey to highlight the toll production and use of toilet paper has on the environment.
The production of toilet paper is a resource-intensive process that contributes to deforestation, water consumption, and energy usage.
“One of the best global sustainability blogs ‘TreeHugger’ states that ‘Making one single roll of toilet paper uses 1.5 pounds of wood, 37 gallons of water and 1.3 kWh of electricity,” noted the Economic Survey in the chapter, ‘Climate Change and India: Why We Must Look at the Problem Through Our Lens’.
Then, the Economic Survey, addresses the elephant in the room, the west, for consistently ignoring the problem of climate change.
“Many Asian countries provide valuable lessons around these, yet their non-capitalist strategies often remain excluded from mainstream discussions because Behavioural and Lifestyle Change seems to be more difficult than Climate Change,” noted the Survey.
Given that India’s tissue paper market, which includes toilet paper, is experiencing a notable growth, the authors of the Economic Survey made a point to include the use of toilet paper in the west, and its potential rampant use in India.
The demand for tissue paper is projected to grow at 8.7% per annum (Compound Annual Growth Rate) until 2030, which is higher than both the global and Asian averages, according to a report by Somnath Ray, the Principal at AFRY Management Consulting.
This growth rate translates into an additional demand of approximately 0.2 million tons of tissue paper by 2030, said the report in the Tissue World Magazine.
Using the trail of this seemingly mundane product, the Economic Survey said how western consumption and lifestyle choices have ignored the larger issue of climate change, but also cautions that the Indians might be headed on the same path.
That’s because the environmental consequences of toilet paper production are substantial.
The demand for high-quality, soft, and absorbent toilet paper drives the sourcing of virgin pulp from forests and plantations, leading to deforestation and habitat destruction.
Around the world, toilet paper alone consumes 27,000 trees every day, according to Sandra Folzer of the Weavers Way Co-op, a Philadelphia-based cooperative grocery initiative.
This has dire consequences, including the loss of old-growth forests and the release of greenhouse gases.
Furthermore, the manufacturing process involves energy-intensive practices, water consumption, and the use of chemicals, all of which contribute to environmental degradation.
Toilet paper is among the basic requirements of the western society. Its importance was highlighted when the world rushed to stock up on essentials, and there was a toilet paper scarcity during the Covid lockdown.
Perhaps, as the Economic Survey suggests, it’s time the West flushed away old habits and wiped clean its approach to sustainability by acknowledging that even the humble toilet paper can roll the world into a greener and sustainable future. The bottom line is, wash and wipe, don’t just wipe.