Down the khazi: Toilet roll may have had its day

The demise of toilet paper may be on its way, with a foreseeable replacement on the horizon. Both bathrooms and individuals will need to adapt to a paperless future.

Our widespread and massive use of paper in bathrooms across the world poses environmental risks and can be substituted with a more sustainable alternative. Perhaps, in a few years, we will nostalgically recall the era of toilet paper when it becomes a thing of the past, and few will remember what it was like before.

Surprisingly, this item experienced unprecedented shortages during the pandemic. when panic buying set in it was up there, if not top of the list of essential items leading to unprecedented queues as shortages set in.

The days of using toilet paper may be numbered, as some countries have already initiated its elimination. Instead, we are shifting towards a slightly more effective system. Toilet paper is not the most hygienic solution nether region aftercare, especially when you are in a rush and dealing with that difficult stool.

Furthermore, heavy loo-roll usage can cause skin abrasions and worse, with doctors recommending a move away from the traditional paper cleaning approach, towards the altogether more effective and sustainable approach of wet cleaning.

To achieve thorough cleanliness, nothing beats soap and water. These essential items are usually found in bathrooms although bidets are not common in the UK.  Japan for example prefers the bidet method to ensure optimal hygiene.

Although it may be inconvenient when away from home, public toilets may also transition away from relying solely on paper, which can sometimes be unavailable. For a sustainable future and a move away from queues at times of loo-roll scarcity, we may need to invest in our own little ‘bum basin’.

It may not be a welcome solution for most Brits who can be quite suspicious of bidets, finding them unnecessary, but maybe for a greener future, we need to be prepared to try it.