What is Sustainable Menstruation, and How Can We Make the Switch?

It’s 2021, and climate change is upon us. We need to take action to save the environment by switching to sustainable practices. If you menstruate, you can adopt eco-friendly methods during the cycle. Here’s how.

What is Sustainable Menstruation?

Sustainable menstruation involves using environmental-friendly alternatives to menstrual products. They are healthy and leave little to no impact on the environment. It refers to being mindful of the negative effects of non-biodegradable sanitary pads that eventually end up in water bodies or release harmful toxins if burned.

A 2018 report by WaterAid India and Menstrual Hygiene Alliance India (MHAI) reveals that there are 336 million menstruating women in India, out of which only 121 million use sanitary pads. Assuming that these women use eight sanitary pads for one cycle, it means that almost one billion sanitary pads are used and disposed of every month and twelve billion every year. The noxious chemicals that are used to manufacture these sanitary pads are carcinogenic and can increase the carbon footprint when leaked into the air.

These pads take 500–800 years to decompose, which has detrimental effects on the environment. They have the potential to clog the sewage system and overflow into the ocean, causing harm to aquatic life. We often see cows and other animals feeding on plastic in the garbage bins. Furthermore, when you throw them away in the garbage, waste pickers manually separate the biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste without any safety gear. It exposes them to a variety of bacteria and illnesses, putting their safety at risk.

Solution: Sustainable Menstruation

In the past few years, we have had a gradual increase in people switching to biodegradable and eco-friendly menstrual products. Here’s how you can make your periods more sustainable-

Biodegradable pads: Biodegradable and organic pads decompose in 6–12 months, whereas conventional pads as mentioned, take 500–800 years. A single pad contains three plastic bags. On the other hand, organic pads are made up of cotton and are quite absorbent. Also, they are soft on your skin.

Reusable pads: These are thin and flexible pads that can last you at least 3–5 years. They are more comfortable than the plastic ones and don’t cause any irritation when you put them on. However, these reusable pads need to be washed and dried properly before you use them again. You’ll need a few of these to get through the five-day cycle with ease.

Period panties: The worst part of menstruation is staining your underwear and discarding them after only a few uses. However, you can now opt for period underwears that can hold three to five teaspoons of blood. It is not a substitute for sanitary products, but it can be useful in an emergency. They are absorbent and easily washable.

Get plastic-free applicators: Make a switch to plastic-free applicators to reduce the waste in the environment. Although it is mentioned on the packaging that the tampon and plastic applicator should not be flushed, many people continue to do so. It clogs sewage systems and harms the environment. Therefore, try to choose tampons without the applicators and insert them using your fingers.

Use menstrual cups: Menstrual cups are the most sustainable period product. They are made of latex rubber or silicone and can last from 5 to 10 years. Rather than dumping a pad every time, you can just flush the blood, rinse, and reuse the cup. They are pocket-friendly and also safe for the environment. A 2019 study published in Resources, Conservation, and Recycling revealed that the impacts of the reusable menstrual cup used for one year were less than 1.5% of the environmental impacts of the disposable products and approximately only 10% of the cost.

While using any of these products, you need to keep your menstrual hygiene a top-most priority. Make sure you are not allergic to any product and are comfortable.

The Green the Red campaign is raising awareness about sustainable menstrual hygiene practices and management that is healthy for the users, sanitation workers and also the environment. Therefore, by using environmental-friendly products, you are not only doing your bit to prevent climate change but also making things better for the waste pickers.

You can be more sustainable by living an eco-conscious life. Read this blog to know-how. You can also check out our other blogs on the website.

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Image credits: Google

Originally published at https://www.fuzia.com.