Plastic Free Periods
Zero Waste. Period.
- It’s time to tackle the waste -
Periods are problematic enough, without having the shame of single use plastics attached to them, yet one sanitary pad has the equivalent of four plastic bags inside it. The facts become more shocking when you consider that at this very moment, more than 800 million women are on their periods worldwide, and the UK alone is producing more than 200,000 tonnes of sanitary waste, which by the way, cannot be recycled as it is considered medical waste. That’s a lot of plastic. All this waste is then on a one-way trip into the ocean after being flushed down the toilet. It’s therefore not surprising, that the planet is suffering and that periods have evolved to become a massive environmental issue.
“We ask for tampons like we are asking for class A drugs”
Be Kind explores the stigma around periods and
how this has caused them to become a massive environmental issue
Periods still remain a taboo topic in today’s society and the shame surrounding them causes many women to be secretive around their periods and the products they choose to use. We tend to reach for products that are convenient and discrete, rather than products that are not only healthy for the planet, but for our bodies too. Many women are unaware that most high-street period products tend to be bleached white with dioxins which are cancer causing agents. Tampons are also made from Rayon, a product which releases microfibres and plastics into the body, and therefore into the environment. Most tampons also include a plastic applicator which is the definition of a single-use plastic, being used once and immediately thrown away. This is becoming a serious problem for the planet with discarded period products being found all over the world. Statistically, there are 20 tampons and/or applicators per 100 metres of shoreline, making their way into the marine world, causing irreversible damage. In just one single day in 2013, Ocean Conservancy volunteers collected nearly 30,000 tampon applicators off the world’s beaches in the International Coastal Clean Up. This is an issue needs to be faced head on before our oceans choke completely and as women, we need to change our environmental attitude towards that time of the month.
- Bleed Red, Think Green -
If Jane Austin had used a modern period product in her lifetime it would still be in landfill, or the ocean today. These products are intentionally built to last and the Earth isn’t thanking us for this. Sadly, humans are fully able to understand this waste, but convenience takes over, buying products that are readily available and that seem cheap and non-damaging to the body and the planet. However, this attitude cannot remain for much longer. Waste from plastic period products are now being discovered in elements of the marine and terrestrial food chain and some fish have even been found to have swallowed whole tampons, dying as a result. One woman will use an average of 11 thousand products in their lifetime, contributing massively to the war on ocean microplastics and environmental sustainability. Every product that is flushed down the toilet eventually breaks down into microplastics, causing irreversible damage without it even crossing someone’s mind. By thinking more sustainably and steering clear of damaging products, this issue can be massively changed and luckily for us, people are opening their eyes and there are some amazing brands who are doing their bit for the planet.
Here are some eco-friendly period products to help you reduce your plastic footprint...
Mooncup
Holding more than 3 times a regular tampon, the Mooncup is a perfect environmentally conscious alternative to tampons and pads. Instead of disposing of it after usage, it can be washed with warm water and boiled to sterilise. It is free of chemical substances and is hypo-allergenic, latex free and is made from soft, medical grade silicone ensuring your body is treated gently at that time of the month. Find out more at www.mooncup.co.uk
Thinx
Thinx encourages you to ‘know your flow’. Their super absorbent leak resistant underwear urges you to ditch the tampons and rock the period pants instead! They are washable and reusable meaning they are a much more sustainable option, cutting down your plastic footprint by at least 75% when it comes to your period and they are super comfy – Bonus! Go and grab a pair at www.shethinx.com
Earthwise
These pretty reusable sanitary pads allow you to feel good and secure on your period without feeling guilty about the environment. Ranging in size and absorbance, they cater for everyone wanting to have a plastic free period. To reuse these products, you simply just pop them in the wash, and they will come out clean and ready to use again for your next cycle. With 58% of women choosing to use pads but knowing that regular pads contain an obscene amount of plastic, nylon, bleach and super absorbent polymers, Earthwise (and many other reusable period pad brands) are taking a massive step in the right direction! However, if you don’t feel comfortable with the notion of reusable pads just yet, there are other options to be more environmentally conscious such as Organ(y)c sanitary pads which are made from pure organic cotton – good for the world and good for your body! Check these products out at earthwisegirls.co.uk and www.organyc.uk
Freda
Freda is an organic subscription pack catered individually to a woman’s flow. Their tampons are 100% certified organic cotton and the reusable applicators are BPA free. All of their products come from Sweden and are made using renewable power, also sending zero waste to landfill or oceans. By enabling women to customise their monthly products, it reduces waste products as women will be using products they enjoy and have chosen for themselves. Their products are also biodegradable, meaning they leave no trace on the environment and don’t break down into microplastics – which is always a bonus! Join them at myfreda.com
So, what is a ‘menstrual cup’ exactly?
The Little Cup That is Changing the Planet - A Favourite Solution
A menstrual cup is a silicone- based cup that catches and collects your menstrual flow, rather than absorbing it like a tampon. It is inserted much the same as a tampon, however, can be left longer as it isn’t absorbing and changing the natural balance of your PH. Once the cup has been used, it is easily removed and can be washed and then boiled to sterilize it, ready for the next use. These cups can last up to around 7 years and therefore dramatically cut down on the number of disposable products you otherwise would have used in that time frame. The production and processing of plastics specifically to manufacture tampon applicators and plastic backing for pads is said to be contributing massively to the leading cause of global warming. This is through the processing of LDPE, a polyethene which is part of the polyethene family. By making the switch to a menstrual cup (or any other reusable period product), not only will you be saving yourself a monthly bill, but also refraining from contributing to this issue any further and helping to save the planet one period at a time. A menstrual cup company called ‘Intimina’ have also created a calculator which allows you to see the amount of waste you would have produced had you not have switched to a cup, which is aiming to shock people into action. If every woman on the planet made these small, yet important changes, this would mean that a group of people making up half the population of the planet could inspire massive change and eradicate immeasurable amounts of plastic from the oceans and land. It is so simple that anyone can make a difference..
An interview with Jazz from The Pickwell Foundation on sustainable periods and the importance of making the switch to plastic free products.
Q. Why are ‘sustainable periods’ important to you?
“Sustainable periods are important to me in the same way as any other aspect of leading a sustainable lifestyle. They are just one part of living an earth-friendly lifestyle. I think part of my passion for sustainable period products and education has come from recognising that whilst plastic free periods raise awareness of the plastic pollution issue, speaking about it also raises some other key issues such as period poverty. So, this seemingly small issue has the potential as a catalyst to wider global issues”.
Q. When did you first become aware of the issues around period products and the effect they having on the environment?
“I found out about the menstrual cup when I was about 17. I suppose that it wasn’t until I saw the answer to the problem that I even clicked that there was a problem at all. After I had started using the cup and cutting out single-use menstrual products, I began to marvel at just how much rubbish I had reduced from my personal plastic footprint. I also witnessed finding tampons and applicators washed up on the shoreline whilst doing beach cleans. I surf regularly, so it’s awful to think that items like these will be floating around in the water with me”.
Q. Can you tell us a bit about the workshop you set up recently?
“Through my work with The Pickwell Foundation, we ran a ‘sew your own sanitary towel’ workshop. We opted to make them using a cotton based PUL, three layers of brushed cotton in the middle and a soft brushed cotton colourful top layer. We then sewed them together and added some little metal poppers to attach the towel to attach the towel around the underneath of the underwear.
Q. What would you suggest people can do to help combat this issue?
“Just do not flush tampons, tampon applicators, menstrual pads or the packaging. Put them in the appropriate bins instead. If you don’t already use a sustainable menstrual product, get researching and see if there is something you’d like to try! If changing to reusable options feels like a bit too big of a step, try sourcing bleach and plastic free products instead. Hey Girls has a great range. And finally, share the message”.
Q. What do you see the future of environmentally friendly period products becoming?
“I hope that the future of sustainable period products is a great uptake in their use, and subsequently a drop-in use of single-use products. I also hope that environmental period products become a vehicle of empowerment for people who menstruate to speak more openly about their experiences and challenges”.
By Emily Kalber