Although the development and marketing of sanitary products have greatly improved menstrual health, it on the other hand has become a growing concern in India as the plastic used in disposable sanitary pads is not biodegradable, posing health and environmental dangers. Astonishingly, most menstruators themselves have no idea what happens to their menstrual waste after they throw it away.
The dominant taboo system prevents them from reflecting on the question. They take comfort in the knowledge that it is out of their sight, and thus out of their mind, but regrettably, it is not out of the environment.Using commercial sanitary pads also means high spending and reliance on outside sources for supply, which increases the plastic footprint. The impact is exacerbated by ineffective municipal solid waste management and inadequate community compilation, disposal, and transportation networks in cities and rural areas.
Here are four reasons why you should stop using commercial sanitary pads:
Loaded with plastics & chemicals
Different menstrual solutions contain varying levels and weightings of plastic and toxic chemicals, not only as part of the wrapping but also as an indispensable part of the product itself. To keep the pad dry, commercial sanitary pads have a top sheet made out of polypropylene. Fluffed cellulose pulp may constitute dioxins as an outcome of the bleaching process that cotton undergoes during refining. However, most manufacturers around the world do not list the raw materials of sanitary pads on their packaging, nor do they list the percentage configuration of the ingredients used.
Causes irritation, rashes and increases the chances of infections
Each sanitary pad can only be used once for 4-6 hours depending on the flow, after which it must be properly disposed of. Using the same pad for an extended period can cause irritation, rashes, and infection. Health researchers have voiced alarm about the risk of severe pelvic infection from the repeated use of these inexpensive plastic pads. In order to give a feeling of freshness many sanitary pad brands add deodorising agents or fragrances to the product. This may include the use of potential hormone disrupting chemicals such as synthetic musk, as well as cancer-causing chemicals such as styrene, pyridine, methyl eugenol, and butylated hydroxyanisole.
Reproductive harm
Many menstrual pads available in the market lead to various health problems as they comprise chemicals or are made of materials that can have a direct impact on one’s well-being. As the vagina can easily absorb 10-18 times greater than that of the oral cavity, the presence of dangerous chemicals becomes a major health issue for childbearing women.
Menstrual products contain BPA and BPS, which can impede embryonic development. Most commercially available menstrual products also contain a synthetic fibre called rayon in addition to cotton to soak more fluids. Dioxin, a well-known carcinogen, is released during the rayon bleaching process. Several research studies indicate that even limited exposure to dioxins can develop liver damage.
Environmental hazard and degradation of soil
In India, approximately 336 million girls and women menstruate, and nearly 12.3 billion used sanitary pads are discarded in landfills each year. Each of these plastic-based sanitary pads is roughly equal to four plastic bags, and decomposition takes nearly 500-800 years. The crisis is magnified by insufficient menstrual waste disposal practises among females, which vary depending on the environment, socioeconomic factors, residence in urban or rural regions, cultural opinions and taboos linked to menstruation and menstrual blood, and other variables. Furthermore, dioxin, furans, rayon, and chlorine, which are present in plastic-based sanitary pads, penetrate the dump sites and contaminate the groundwater table.
There is an urgent need to educate students in schools, colleges and universities about the proper ways to use and dispose of sanitary products. Besides that, manufacturers should be obligated to provide relevant data on menstrual products about the chemical makeup of the pads so that menstruators can make informed decisions as well as effective innovations can be followed for treatment and disposal.
More pertinently, there is a requirement to promote effective menstrual materials that require less management and are less expensive. Organic disposable and reusable sanitary pads are a feasible alternative as they have been rigorously tested to acquire the recyclable, zero plastic content, and chemical-free label.
Ms. Sujata Pawar, CEO & Co-Founder at Avni- A Feminine Hygiene and Menstrual Healthcare Startup
