How much plastic is in disposable period pads

According to one study, a pack of disposable period pads is equivalent to 5 carrier plastic bags. With an average of 11,000 disposable period items being used in a lifetime, it adds up to a huge amount of plastic waste. The sad fact is that we don’t dispose of these disposable plastic pads and tampons properly.

Effects of flushing your pads and tampons

Flushing your period products causes sewer blockage and worse, these waste ends up in the ocean. When these waste ends up in our sewers, instead of breaking down, they expand, and absorb lots of sewage water causing bigger blockages.

What do plastic period pads contain

Polypropylene or polyethylene is an ingredient of plastic period pads and tampons.  Each disposable period pad takes between 500-800 years to decompose. It also contains Dioxins. Dioxins are responsible for side effects in the body such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cancer, diabetes,  immune system damage, and impaired fertility. 

What’s the alternative

For women who like a different option, reusable and eco-friendly cloth period pads are an alternative. They are usually manufactured using organic cotton. These pads are washable for up to 3-5 years when cared for properly. These reusable pads contain treated fabrics with a laminate to help make it leak-proof. It contains just a small amount of micromodal fabrics  made from tree cellulose.

Another alternative is a menstrual cup. It collects—rather than absorb menstrual blood. The other advantage of the menstrual cup is that it is more comfortable to wear —that you don’t notice you’re wearing it. Medical-grade silicone are used to fabricate these period cups. 

If you have already made the switch to a more eco-friendly period product option, we want to congratulate you! You prove that you can take care of your body and take care of the environment at the same time. And if you haven’t made the switch yet, we encourage you to take a risk and try our packs of reusable and eco-friendly period pads. Check out the different sizes and patterns here.