Bounty · Paper Napkins & Paper Towels
Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels
Moderate PFAS concern from grease-resistance treatment. No brand disclosure available.
Bounty Select-A-Size paper towels are treated for grease and moisture resistance, a common application for fluorinated compounds. Bounty discloses no treatment details.
The better-graded swap
Bounty
Bounty Quilted Napkins, 1-Ply, White, 100 Count
70/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Good.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Virgin wood pulp with grease-resistant treatment (composition unspecified)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
You may also be interested in
Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
What Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels is made of, ingredients and materials
Bounty Select-A-Size is virgin wood pulp (not recycled) treated with an unspecified grease-resistant coating to enhance oil and liquid absorption. The grease-resistance almost certainly involves fluorochemical compounds (PFAS family), which is standard industry practice for paper towel performance but raises long-term accumulation concerns in food contact. Virgin pulp itself is low-hazard, but the proprietary treatment composition is not publicly disclosed, limiting transparency on which specific PFAS or alternatives are used.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Unspecified fluorochemical treatment is industry standard for grease-barrier performance. Direct health risk from casual kitchen use is low, but potential for bioaccumulation over repeated exposure and food contact migration is not ruled out. No brand commitment to PFAS phase-out.
Source, ATSDR ↗Proprietary treatment composition unknown
Bounty does not disclose the specific PFAS compounds (e.g., PFOA, PFOS, GenX) or alternative fluorochemicals used. Without ingredient transparency, assessment of chronic toxicity or regulatory compliance (e.g., PFOA phase-out) is limited.
What’s reassuring
Chlorine residues from bleaching
Virgin wood pulp paper towels are typically bleached with chlorine dioxide or oxygen-based methods. No public recalls or contamination reports for Bounty Select-A-Size. Residual chlorine levels in food-contact paper are regulated and generally below harm thresholds in finished products.
Microplastic or fiber fragmentation
Paper towels are designed to break down and do not generate microplastics under normal use. No toxicological concern unique to this product compared to other virgin-pulp towels.
Allergens or irritants in treatment
No documented contact dermatitis, sensitization, or fragrance/dye issues reported for Select-A-Size. The product is fragrance-free and dye-free, reducing allergen risk compared to scented or colored alternatives.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Procter & Gamble (Bounty's parent) has not publicly committed to PFAS phase-out in paper products or disclosed which fluorochemicals are in Select-A-Size. The brand maintains silence on grease-treatment chemistry despite growing PFAS awareness in the industry. No recalls, safety certifications (e.g., Cradle to Cradle, Nordic Swan), or third-party testing results are publicly associated with this product line. This lack of transparency is notable given increasing regulatory and consumer scrutiny of fluorochemicals in food-contact paper.
How it compares in its category
Most commercial paper towels use PFAS-based grease treatments; Bounty is not unique in this regard. However, some brands (e.g., Who Gives A Crap, Seventh Generation) market PFAS-free or lower-fluorochemical alternatives. Bounty's Select-A-Size sits in the mainstream category where performance (absorbency, durability) is prioritized over PFAS reduction. If grease-resistance is less critical to your use case, uncoated or naturally treated alternatives exist but are less common in mass retail.
If you buy it
Use Select-A-Size as intended, tear sheets for general kitchen cleanup, wiping, and spill management. Avoid prolonged direct contact with food or deliberate food-drying if you wish to minimize PFAS ingestion, though trace migration from paper towels is not well-quantified for health risk. Store in a dry place; moisture can degrade the treatment and reduce performance. Consider rotating to PFAS-free alternatives if available and if you use paper towels in food preparation daily, especially in households with young children or pregnant women.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Bounty has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels?
- 100% recycled paper
- Trace metals and contaminants from recycled feedstock
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Virgin wood pulp, 1-ply, no waterproofing layer
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Starting grade for this product type
- Virgin wood pulp, 1-ply paper
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bleach residues and chlorinated byproducts
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
More paper napkins & paper towels grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.