Autumn Marsh
Menstruation, or periods, are highly taboo in most Western cultures. This stigma around periods and period products has severely stunted the discussion on the environmental impacts of period products. Rohatgi on Period Poverty concluded that 1.8 billion people menstruate globally on a monthly basis which makes up 26% of the global population. With each of these 1.8 billion people menstruating for around half of their lifespan. This makes single-use period products major contributors to waste annually. Unlike other forms of waste such as take-out containers, people can’t just stop menstruating; meaning that we need to find solutions to single-use products and their environmental impact.
According to Eco-friendly menstrual products, around 20 billion pads, tampons, and applicators are disposed of in North American landfills every year. That’s only North America's portion of period pollution. Per Eco-friendly menstrual products, these disposable products are 90% plastic, meaning that period products take anywhere from 500-800 years to degrade into microplastics. Microplastics are still dangerous for the environment and have been proven to harm marine life, which is where large quantities of this waste are going.
The disposal of period products into landfills isn’t where the issues with single-use products end. Zero Waste Scotland ran a study to estimate the carbon impact of switching from single-use to reusables. The study found that if a single person switches from tampons to menstrual cups they’ll reduce their carbon impact by 16 times; this is equivocal 7 kg CO2 e according to Zero Waste Scotland.
There are other reusable products that Zero Waste Scotland looked at in terms of the carbon footprint. No matter which reusable product was selected, there was still a substantial decrease in the total carbon emissions; making reusable products the most eco-friendly option regardless. These reusable products will also reduce the cost of periods. Rather than being required to purchase more products every month or a couple of months, reusable products can last for years before needing to be replaced. It’s not just cups either, for those who need them reusable pads and pants are also available. These types of products are made more easily consumable but the jist of the product dates back centuries. Using cloths for periods and diapers was the way of life until the 1900s so we have hundreds of years showing that the cloth options can be safe alternatives.
Don’t let the taboo of periods stop you from looking into more eco-friendly alternatives. Considering the study recently published in Environmental International, further discussed by Proulx in Measure Toxic Metals in Tampons thinking about making a change could be beneficial not just for the environment, but also for the health of those utilizing these products. Measure Toxic Metals in Tampons discusses the study from a UC Berkley researcher that found major tampon brands have tested positive for toxic metals such as arsenic and lead. The possible health implications of this research are yet to be thoroughly researched and discussed but it’s worth considering. The secondary concern for what this implied for the environment and landfills where these products are being disposed of is yet to be considered in the face of the public health concern that’s been presented.
Citations
1. Eco-friendly menstrual products. David Suzuki Foundation. (2024, February 22). https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/eco-friendly-menstrual-products/
2. Proulx, E. (2024, July 3). First Study to measure toxic metals in tampons shows arsenic and lead, among other contaminants. Berkeley Public Health. https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/news-media/research-highlights/first-study-to-measure-toxic-metals-in-tampons-shows-arsenic-and-lead
3. Rohatgi, A., & Dash, S. (2023, March 1). Period poverty and mental health of menstruators during COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons and implications for the future. Frontiers in global women’s health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10014781/
4. Zero Waste Scotland (2023, March 23). Zero waste Scotland. Zero Waste Scotland. https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/carbon-impacts-menstrual-products