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The Netherlands is paving its roads – with used loo paper

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No, really it’s true. A bike path connecting two towns in the cycling-friendly country has become the first to be paved with recycled toilet paper.

The paper is used to add cellulose (plant fibres) into the open-graded asphalt friction course (OGFC), which is used on most Dutch roads.

This helps to maintain traction on slippery roads and makes the asphalt better at draining water – a necessity in the flood-prone nation.

With the Dutch flushing away an estimated 180,000 tonnes of toilet paper every year, it’s a smart solution for a serious head-scratcher.

While used toilet paper is relatively easy to recycle, not many people want to come into contact with items that have touched poop, so it can’t be turned into napkins or other paper products.

Another reminder that just because toilet paper grows on trees, there’s no reason to waste it.

Picture: Time to stop seeing toilet paper go to waste?

With a background in nursing, Annie has spent over 20 years working in the health industry, including the coordination of medical support for international TV productions and major stadium events, plus education campaigns with a number of national health organisations. In recent years, she has also taken time out of the workforce to be a full-time carer, giving her first-hand experience of the challenges and rewards of this role.


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