Women may use 12,000 to 15,000 pads and tampons over their lifetimes, which end up in landfills where they take years to decompose while releasing harmful chemicals into the environment.
Many participants indicated a lack of awareness around reusable products and wanted more information provided earlier during puberty or sexual education classes in school. Furthermore, many individuals wish they were more comfortable using these items.
They’re comfortable
Reusable pads offer many advantages over disposable products, one being their extreme comfort. Constructed from natural materials that feel soft against your skin, reusable pads can reduce irritation and chafing significantly while feeling clean and hygienic to use. Plus, their more effective performance leads to less leakage compared to regular tampons and pads and they cost just PS13 per set – far cheaper than what many women spend each month on period products!
Participants ranked comfort and efficacy (protection against leakage) as the two primary features of reusable menstrual products, but also noted cost and information as barriers to using them. This finding could have implications for efforts to support period product access in high-income settings; however, qualitative data may not accurately represent all young people’s experiences and more research is required into how various contexts influence use of reusable menstrual products.
They’re natural
Disposable menstrual products contain harmful ingredients that can have long-term repercussions for our environment, leaching into landfills and contributing to water and soil pollution. One way to mitigate this damage is through choosing reusable menstrual products – which offer greater convenience, affordability and sustainability compared to disposables.
Disposable pads and tampons often contain chemicals, fragrances and dyes that shouldn’t be in your body, such as hormone disruptors, fragrances and dyes that irritate skin and could lead to toxic shock syndrome (TSS). On the plus side, however, reusable menstrual products don’t contain these harmful components.
While there are various reusable menstrual products to choose from, cups or discs tend to be the ideal solution for most. Simply ensure your cup or disc is clean with cup wash after each cycle (this microwaveable sterilizer makes this easier!) Additionally, using a reusable tampon applicator will make life simpler and more comfortable; just remember to rinse after use to help avoid TSS while decreasing waste from single-use applicators.
They’re eco-friendly
Reusable menstrual products offer an environmentally-friendly alternative to disposable pads and tampons, helping reduce environmental impact as well as long-term cost-savings. Unfortunately, their availability remains limited for many due to cost issues or barriers surrounding discussion and usage.
Participants were asked to identify their top three features of a menstrual product, and prioritized comfort, protection from leakage and environmental sustainability as top features. Additional important characteristics were cost, confidence in material composition and ease of changing.
One person menstruating for their entire lifetime may consume up to 15,000 pads and tampons, creating approximately 400 pounds of packaging waste. One year’s worth of disposable tampons takes 500-800 years to decompose, creating significant environmental pollution in addition to being more comfortable and safer than conventional pads or tampons. Reusable products offer many environmental and other advantages over their disposable counterparts – for both the individual and the environment.
They’re free
Before pads and tampons became widely available, many women had to resort to using rags or toilet paper for their periods. Unfortunately, these often became stained with blood or held together with tape – needing frequent changes as periods became heavier. Period supplies can become an additional burdensome expense when living in poverty.
Reusable menstrual products may initially cost more upfront, but in the long run they save money and reduce waste. Plus they’re good for the environment too! WashU offers them for free at its Zenker Wellness Suite (Summers Rec room 303).
Politicians should go further by eliminating the tampon tax and providing students and federal workers with access to affordable reusable menstrual products at an affordable price. This will help break down stigma around menstruation while making periods easier on all. One step would be creating legislation allowing federal employees, homeless people and prisoners to purchase menstrual hygiene products with pretax dollars.
