Port Strike Could Reignite Toilet Paper Shortage — But Don’t Panic, Expert Says

Thousands of dockworkers have gone on strike at ports across the East and Gulf coasts over wages and the use of automation, potentially disrupting America’s supply of toilet paper.

Reports of toilet paper shortages surfaced on social media just a day after the strike began, largely due to people panic-buying large amounts of household goods.

Whether the port strike itself could actually result in a toilet paper shortage ultimately depends on how long it lasts, according to Ronalds Gonzalez, an associate professor of forest biomaterials at NC State.

“If it takes one or two weeks for the strike to end, there could be delays that affect raw materials,” said Gonzalez, who monitors technological and sustainability developments in the toilet paper industry.

More specifically, the strike could delay shipments of the eucalyptus pulp used by Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Georgia-Pacific and other toilet paper manufacturers across the United States.

While more 99% of tissue products are manufactured in the U.S., many manufacturers rely heavily on eucalyptus pulp imported from Brazil. Eucalyptus pulp contains short fibers that make toilet paper soft and absorbent.

Brazil is considered the world’s largest exporter of eucalyptus pulp, with companies like Suzano being major players in the industry, primarily due to its nearly 4 million acres of eucalyptus plantations across the country.

Gonzalez stressed that current toilet paper shortages across the U.S. are due strictly to panic-buying. While toilet paper manufacturers produce more than enough product for customers, grocery stores and other retailers usually only keep several weeks’ worth of toilet paper in their warehouses, meaning sudden increases in demand can quickly deplete stocks.

In a worst-case scenario where the port strike continues and delays shipments of eucalyptus pulp to U.S. manufacturers, Gonzalez said consumers should be able to at least find commercial-grade toilet paper, which is made from locally-sourced recycled paper, if consumers can avoid panic-buying.

“People need to calm down and stop buying more than what they need,” Gonzalez said. “If they can do that, inventories will increase and remain stable.”