Exploring the Environmental Footprint of Period Products
Earlier this year, Days for Girls wrote an article about the intersection of menstrual product choice and environmental impacts. Below is a condensed version of the report. We encourage you to read the full article here.
Introduction
When shopping for period products, we can all agree that choice is essential. Usually, the comfort and affordability of products often take precedence. However, it is crucial to consider another factor: environmental impact.
The lifecycle of menstrual products—production, usage, and disposal—reveals significant insights into environmental sustainability. Understanding the climate footprint of a menstrual product’s lifecycle can help us make informed choices by considering menstrual products that are both personally and environmentally friendly.
Stage 1: Production
Single-use products rely heavily on fossil fuels and synthetic materials, contributing to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Single-use products are made up of 93% plastic, equating to the waste of four plastic bags per pad.
The production of reusable options – like cotton pads and menstrual cups – also has environmental costs, such as water and energy usage. The transportation of both reusable and single-use products from factories to storefronts also contributes to carbon emissions.
Stage 2: Usage
Single-use pads and tampons are the most widely used MH products, but also some of the most environmentally harmful. The average menstruator uses between 5,000 to 15,000 disposable products in their lifetime, depleting natural resources (like cotton and wood) and generating substantial waste.
Generally, reusable products have a significantly lower environmental impact. Although, they still require water and electricity for sanitation purposes.
Stage 3: Disposal
The waste generated by single-use products is extremely high, with individuals creating 250 to 300 pounds of product waste throughout their lives. Used products are often rejected at recycling centers due to blood contamination.
Most product waste ends up in landfills and releases harmful chemicals when incinerated. In many low-to-middle-income countries, inadequate waste management leads to unsafe disposal practices.
What Can We Do?
Switching to reusable products can significantly reduce environmental harm. For example, a menstrual cup produces only 0.4% of plastic waste compared to disposable pads. Increasing the use of reusables can decrease demand for single-use items, leading to less resource consumption and waste. In turn, manufacturers of single-use products may be motivated to explore how to make environmentally safe products, or at least seek to improve the environmental impact of their products.
The Big Picture
Though this information can feel overwhelming, we should keep in mind two key points: the importance of informed choice and the need for diverse menstrual product options.
Understanding the environmental impacts of menstrual products empowers us to make informed choices. Promoting diverse, sustainable options that meet menstrual health needs while reducing environmental impacts is essential. Manufacturers can also play a vital role by adopting more environmentally-friendly practices.
Menstruation is a natural part of human life, and product accessibility is foundational for ensuring menstrual and human dignity. Through information and awareness of the importance of our choices, we can shift towards a more sustainable future for menstrual health management.
Read the full article here.
