Zero-Waste Periods: The Environmental and Cost-Based Case for Reusable Menstrual Products
For most women, periods come and go every month, and so do the single-use products that are linked to them. While we live in a world that is striving to minimise waste, especially plastic, with the increasing amount of single-use plastic in circulation—including compulsory face masks and gloves—this problem is only going to get worse.
More than 80% of single-use period products contain synthetic materials and plastics, with a pack of sanitary pads on average containing the equivalent of 4 plastic bags.[1] Plastic waste kills up to 1 million birds and 100,000 sea mammals each year,[2] taking up to 1,000 years to break down in some cases. And, even though sanitary products should be thrown away, Plastic Ocean UK reported that, in the UK, 4.6 million single-use plastic period products are flushed down the toilet every day, resulting in products increasingly being found in rivers and seas.
By 2042, it is hoped that the UK will have eliminated avoidable plastic waste altogether.[3] However, in order to achieve this goal, the environmental consequences and financial implications of sanitary products cannot be ignored.
In 2017, then 17-year-old Amika George started campaigning for the UK government to provide free menstrual products to schoolchildren, after learning that many students who were unable to afford these products were forced to use other items, such as newspapers or toilet roll, during menstruation. She was also motivated by statistics concerning the number of students who missed a day of school due to period-related problems—a figure determined, at one point, to be roughly 49% of girls in the UK.[4]
It is estimated that the lifetime cost of menstruation is around £4,800 per individual, based on findings by charity Bloody Good Period involving the cost of menstrual products, such as tampons and sanitary towels. However, this figure does not include additional costs, such as having to take unpaid time off work due to period pain. Thus, for many individuals, the cost of menstruation can be both physically and financially debilitating.
Fortunately, there are reusable alternatives to the traditional products, which can reduce both the individual financial burden and also the wider impact on the environment.
1. Reusable Period Underwear
Costing roughly £10-35 each and lasting as long as regular underwear, many reusable period pants can hold up to 4 times the volume of regular pads/tampons. An additional benefit is that they look just like regular underwear, but have hidden protection to help prevent leaks.
2. Menstrual Cup
Reusable menstrual cups are made from medical-grade silicon and can last up to 10 years. They replace traditional pads and tampons and offer up to 12 hours of protection. This means that the user can go through their daily life—including work, school, and exercise—without worrying about having to change a pad or tampon every few hours. They are easy to clean and cost between £7-10 each.
3. Reusable Pads
Made from a variety of materials including organic cotton, microfibre, and bamboo, they cost roughly between £2-£10 each and can last up to 5 years. Reusable pads work just like disposable ones, with poppers or snapping wings to hold them in place; however, they are non-toxic, odour-neutralising options which can be rinsed, washed, and then reused.
Ultimately, taking the step to switch to reusable period products can save money and reduce environmentally damaging waste, thereby helping to protect the planet.
Article tags: | -ism | feminism | environmentalism |
Taking the step to switch to reusable period products can save money and reduce environmentally damaging waste, thereby helping to protect the planet. Image Source: BBC
For many individuals, the cost of menstruation can be both physically and financially debilitating. Image Source: Ekaterina79 / Getty Images
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Sources Cited
[1] ‘Turning the Tide on Plastic Period Waste’ (natracare) <https://www.natracare.com/blog/turning-the-tide-on-plastic-period-waste/> accessed 30 September 2020.
[2] ‘Plastic Ain’t So Fantastic’ (Ocean Crusaders) <http://oceancrusaders.org/plastic-crusades/plastic-statistics/> accessed 30 September 2020.
[3] ‘UK Government Pledges to Eradicate Plastic Waste by 2042’ (Climate Action, 11 January 2018) <http://www.climateaction.org/news/uk-government-pledges-to-eradicate-plastic-waste-by-2042> accessed 30 September 2020.
[4] Maya Oppenheim, ‘Average Schoolgirl Takes Three Days Off Each Term due to Period-Related Issues, Study Finds’ (Independent, 21 May 2019) <https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/period-poverty-girls-school-absent-phs-group-menstrual-a8922246.html> accessed 30 September 2020.