When I was an exchange student in New Zealand many years ago, I went on a tour of a paper recycling plant. I was amazed at how they break things down and reused the paper.
I was grossed out when I lived near a sewer treatment plant and found that they allow the toilet paper to dry in beds and then recycle it. I figured it would be used for cardboard boxes or something but I now know that they use it for other things. Over the past few years, I have noticed that the paper towel I use are getting worse and worse smelling. I only use paper towels in my kitchen and bathroom due to the parasite I have. It is getting to the point I may have to figure something else out as the paper towels are getting so smelly I can't tolerate them.
I usually pop the bag open at the store and smell them before purchasing them as they smell so bad. The smell gets worse when they get wet so if they smell bad dry in the package, they will be horrible when wet.
I purchased a case of paper towels from a store where I don't normally purchase them, and forgot to smell them first as it was a case lot sale.
When I started using them, it was so horrible. I can smell them on my hands after drying them, and I had to hold my breath when I used them on my face. I then started to break out on my face and got a sore on my nose that kept getting worse and worse and I think it is from the paper towels.
I finally had to put iodine on my nose for about a week as the sore wouldn't heal with the paper towels and I had sores all over where the paper towel would touch my skin.
I finally went and purchased some other paper towels to use as I couldn't take this brand anymore. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the only brand that smells horrible. Over the past few years it has gotten so much worse that I may have to figure out a way to buy them online if I can find a brand that doesn't smell.
Most of the towels say "Post consumer paper used in this product." It is in nearly every brand. If I knew it was just recycled cardboard, I could be cool with it, but the smell gives it away. The thing about this brand that concerned me, was that there was a website on the back saying "Sustainable Forest Practices" and when I looked it up, the top right picture information came up. No website information. I wanted to know what that label means. Also, It is make from "imported materials" and am not sure what that means either. Then, I looked up the company that makes the paper towels and there was NO information on the site about any of it or much of anything else. I was super frustrated that the packaging didn't have much information and wasn't labeled as "post consumer" information but it clearly isn't a "from the tree" product. If it is, something is seriously wrong in that factory that it smells that horrible.
I bought new paper towels but they all smell now. I may just start using the scraps from my t-shirt quilts to dry my face from now on. I usually donate them to my mechanic as rags, but I am thinking I will use one and throw it away, as at least I know it is clean and smells good. I wash all the shirts before cutting them up for the quilts so I may start doing that.
Have a Blessed and beautiful smelling day!
I agree totally. Thanks for your post. I work in the Health Service over in England and had complained for a long time that the recycled hand towels the hospital were using had a fowl smell to them. I do tend to be more sensitive to unpleasant odours than my colleagues ,but no-one else noticed it and told me it must be the after effects of the bleaching process. As with yourself, after drying my hands with the towels, I could detect a sewer type smell on my hands for a good while after. Last month the hospital changed to a new supplier of paper towels and the smell has completely gone. Given that these towels were being used in a health care setting, it makes you wonder why they decided to go with a different supply company.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they did testing and found that infections were being caused by the towels. My face was horrible since I started using them. I bought another brand but they all stink anymore. I may need to purchase them in a larger city. Thanks for your comments. Have a Blessed Day!
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