A user’s guide to eco-friendly periods

Several reusable products, now on the market, can replace the conventional sanitary napkin

Environmental groups are campaigning against the plastic in sanitary napkins. Many awareness campaigns are popularising reusable products and what they call ‘sustainable menstruation’.

Here is a handy guide to an eco-friendly period.

Reusable sanitary pads

A great option if you usually use regular pads, they work in almost exactly the same way but create zero waste.

Reusable pads come with a base that wraps around your panties with a removable insert that functions in the same way that a disposable pad does.

Period panties

These are said to be leak-free, stain-free and reusable.

They look and feel like normal underwear, making your period a more comfortable experience.

Organic cotton tampons

Non-organic sanitary products are made from cotton that’s
been sprayed with chemical pesticides. This is not only bad for biodiversity, but could also contain residues harmful to your health.

Brands such as Saathi Pads and Carmesi use bamboo and banana fibre as an alternative to cotton. A good place to start off on your sustainability journey.

Menstrual cups

These silicone cups have become popular in the recent past. While they cost from Rs 600 to Rs 1,000, they last years, making them a much more cheaper option in the long run.

While the process of inserting a cup can be intimidating, numerous guides are available online to help you.

For many, the cups reduce the discomfort (for example, rashes) of using pads.

Interlabial pads

They are reusable absorbent pads that come in a petal or leaf
shape. You could look at them as a cross between a tampon and a pad.

They are not a popular hygiene product since they might need to be used along with a cup.

Why you should care: 90% plastic

According to the Women’s Environmental Network, “Tampons, pads and panty liners generate more than 200,000 tonnes of waste per year, and they all contain plastic – in fact, pads are around 90 percent plastic – which ends up in landfill or, even worse, in seas and rivers.”

An average woman menstruates for about 40 years. She uses approximately 20 pads or tampons a month, equating to 240 a year. Over her lifetime, she uses about 9,600 feminine hygiene products.

A single plastic disposable sanitary pad requires about 500–800 years to decompose. In India, annually, 43.2 crore sanitary napkins are used, and they can cover landfills that spread over 24 hectares.

How to discard menstrual hygiene products

Most chemicals from pads cause groundwater pollution and loss of soil fertility. Also, there is no clarity on whether they should be classified as bio-medical waste or dry waste. Bengaluru and Pune are two cities in India that classify menstrual waste.

According to the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules of 2016, soiled napkins, diapers, condoms, tampons and blood-soaked cotton are household waste and should be disposed after segregation into biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Items contaminated with blood and body fluids are bio-medical waste and should be incinerated, autoclaved or microwaved to destroy pathogens.