The Menstrual Taboo

Jul 30

Menstrual taboos and period shaming have allowed the few large corporations who have a monopoly in the period product space to rule the roost for too long. With single-use products designed to reinforce these taboos and advertising campaigns encouraging people who menstruate to be 'discreet', corporations continue to profit from the shame and embarrassment around that time of the month. This has a significant impact on the type of products we use and how we dispose of those products. But have we ever questioned what single-use period products are made from and in turn, their impact on our health and on our environment?

An unbelievable 100 billion period products are thrown away every year, most of which are made from synthetic plastics and glues, petro-chemical additives, non-organic cotton and rayon. This is hardly surprising when you consider that there are approx. 3.9 billion women on the planet that will spend more than 6 years of their lives menstruating. According to the Women’s Environmental Network’s SEEING RED report, it is estimated that the use of tampons, applicators and pads generates 200,000 tonnes of waste per year in the UK alone. With the average person who menstruates reported to throw away up to 200kg of menstrual products in a lifetime, we have a serious problem on our hands.

The majority of these products are incinerated, end up in the landfill or can be found washed up on beaches with 4.8 pieces of menstrual waste found per 100m of beach. With 2.5 million tampons, 1.4 million menstrual towels and 700,000 pantiliners flushed down the toilet in the UK every single day, it's easy to see how these products wash up on our beaches. Flushing disposable period products can also create a whole other range of issues from clogging sewer pipes and causing untreated waste water to flow into rivers and streams, to driving up the cost of water consumption due to the need for sewer repairs.

Single-use menstrual products are also carbon intensive with a year's worth of menstrual products having a carbon footprint of 5.3Kg CO2 equivalent, while the manufacturing of disposable menstrual products generates a total carbon footprint of 15 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per annum. According to The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm which carried out a Life Cycle Assessment of tampons to determine their entire ecological footprint, the largest impact comes from the production of plastic tampon applicators and the plastic strip on the back of menstrual pads. This is due to the fact that large amounts of fossil fuels are used to produce low-density polyethylene.

Using the current products on the market can also come at a cost to our health. With a total lack of transparency surrounding the materials and the chemicals used in these products, the majority of people are not aware that they contain a wide range of chemical absorbers, fillers, lubricants, unintentional chemicals and pesticide residues from the bleaching and manufacturing process. The bleaching and purification of wood pulp and cotton to create white period products has been shown to leave traces of chlorine and dioxin, while the synthetic fragrances used are made from chemicals including carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, both of which have been linked to breast cancer and infertility.

While people who menstruate are not exposed to high levels of these chemicals, the Women's Environmental Network emphasises that repeated low level exposure is concerning when you consider that the vagina and vulva will rapidly absorb toxic chemicals without breaking them down. With the menstrual product industry free to police itself, we need to educate ourselves about the materials and chemicals contained in these products and look for alternatives that are kinder to our body and to the environment.

Menstrual Cups

Worn internally, these flexible silicone cups are folded and inserted inside the vagina where they seal themselves against the vaginal walls and collect blood. They can be worn for up to 8 hours and can last up to 10 years so can be a great financial investment. Once full, pull on the stem of the cup and release the blood directly into the toilet. Then rinse, sterilise and put back in. Over a two-year period, you'll get 528 tampons or pads worth of use out of a menstrual cup. I've used the &SISTERS cup for over a year and would highly recommend!

Brands: Saalt, Nomai, OrganiCup, TOTM, Lunette, &SISTERS, Mooncup

Reusable Pads and Liners

Reusable pads and liners will last 2-3 years and are made from antibacterial and anti-fungal bamboo fleece, organic cotton, microfibre and PUL. With poppers used to replace sticky wings, an absorbent core is sandwiched between a waterproof backing and a stay-dry lining. After use, rinse in cold water, place in a wet bag and wash on a cool setting (30 - 40 degrees), stretch the pad or liner back into its original shape and then leave to airdry.

Brands: Bloom & Nora, DAME, Fern, EcoFemme, Eco Lily, Natissy

Reusable Period Underwear

Reusable period underwear are usually made from bamboo, cotton and merino wool and just like reusable pads, need to be rinsed in cold water after use, placed in a wet bag, washed on a cool setting (30 - 40 degrees) and left to airdry. The underwear can usually be worn for up to 8 hours at a time and can hold up to 4 tampons' worth of blood. For an average 4-to-5-day cycle, it's recommended to own around 7 pairs of period underwear.

Brands: Thinx, Modibodi, WUKA, Flux Undies

Organic Cotton Pads, Tampons and Reusable Applicators

Ohne provides 100% organic cotton GOTS certified tampons and pads which are biodegradable. Plastic free and available in a range of sizes, the products are made to work for you and your specific cycle! For your organic cotton tampons, ohne gives you the choice to receive them 'naked' or with a biodegradable cardboard applicator. Switching to certified organic cotton tampons for just two cycles of your period could conserve 72% of the energy needed to produce conventional cotton and reduce the water used by 91%.

DAME has created a self-sanitising applicator made from medical grade material infused with naturally occurring sanipolymers which act as natural sterilisers in order to keep the applicator antimicrobial at all times. According to DAME, one reusable applicator should last a lifetime and will save up to 12,000 disposable plastic applicators from entering our oceans!

Brands: DAME, ohne

While sustainable options will have a higher price point than your average disposable period products, purchasing a reusable product allows you to invest in your own health and the health of the planet while making significant savings in the long term. Ditch the toxic single-use period products and give something different a try, you won't regret it!