Menstruation is already painful; why make the decomposition of menstrual products a pain too? Menstrual products are labelled as medical waste and cannot be recycled. Therefore, if we sit to do the math of the number of pads/tampons used by a menstruating person in their lifetime, the numbers will be mind-boggling .
Let’s come to the point - is reusable really sanitary?
As long as the menstrual cups, reusable pads and period undies are taken care of as instructed, it is just as sanitary as the disposable product we threw in the waste during our last period. Once the products are sanitised, they are just as new.
Is disposable eco-friendly?
The ugly truth is no. As women, we’ve been sitting on a pile of plastic in the name of a product and worse, the used products will continue to exist way past our time on this planet.
Here are a few factors to consider while picking out eco-friendly products.
Plastic-free: The material hurts the planet and is not great for your health ‘down there.’ Opt for products that are free of harmful polymers.
Reusability: Choose products that can be sanitised and reused like menstrual cups, period undies or eco-friendly pads made out of natural bamboo or organic cotton that is easily compostable. This will be cost-effective for you and friendly to planet Earth.
Free of harmful chemicals: Make sure that the product has no harmful substances that can mess with your body and harm the environment. Choose products with antimicrobial technology, which is healthy and sanitary.
Feedback/reviews: The shift from disposable to reusable menstrual products is fairly new, so skimming through product reviews or videos before purchasing is useful.
Break the cycle with sustainable period products, and inspire the women around you to lose the use-and-throw attitude of buying and contributing to mounds of waste.