I’ll start off by saying that I am a bit biased on this topic, since I made the switch to reusable menstruation products years ago. I started with one product at a time and introduced more as I became more aware of the environmental implications of my use of disposable period products and also as I became more independent and started to be able to afford buying the more expensive items.
And before anyone says anything, I would never shame or judge anyone for not wanting to use and reusable menstruation products. It’s a personal choice and not one all women even get to have. But from a position of comfort, utility, and environmental implications, I am a strong supporter of these products.
But how much waste do conventional single use menstrual products actually produce? According to CSUSM (3) menstrual products produce over 200,000 tonnes of waste per year worldwide. Furthermore, most menstrual products are made of plastic and are non-biodegradable and take up to 800 years to decompose. Finally, single use menstrual products contain dangerous chemicals like pesticide reside, bleach, and phthalates that can cause harm to the body (toxic shock syndrome for example).
This post will discuss
Environmental impacts
Cost
Health
Comfort/reliability
Other considerations
Environmental Impacts
Pads
Pads are made of 7 main components: the surface cover, acquisition distribution layer, absorbent core, back sheet, release paper, adhesive and in some cases wings. The materials used comprise mostly of plastics such as polyethylene, cellulosic fibres such as rayon, viscose or cotton. Individuals use on average 16.5 per cycle, therefore 198 per year. It is estimated that one pad emits 0.029 kgCO2Eq/unit. Being the most common menstrual product, pads generate 21,000 tonnes of waste annually in the UK.
Tampons
Tampons are a bit simpler, made up of a surface material, absorbent core, string and in some cases wrappers or applicators that are made of either plastic or cardboard. The outer components are usually made from polyester, polyethylene, rayon or cotton. The absorbent core and string are typically composed of rayon or cotton and the wrapper is usually a film made of cellophane or polyethylene. Individuals use on average 16 tampons per cycle, therefore 191 per year and they emit 0.018 kgCO2Eq/unit. In the UK, tampons generate 5,854 tonnes of waste annually.
Menstrual Cups
Menstrual cups entered the market more recently and are made of medical grade silicone. If cared for properly, they can be used for up to 10 years. Individuals need only one menstrual cup and it will last them 10 years, so the yearly use of a menstrual cup is 0.1 and they emit 0.42 kgCO2Eq/unit. Menstruation cups produce only 0.2 tonnes of waste per year, making it the least wasteful menstruation product on the market.
Reusable Underwear
Reusable underwear are even more recent inventions and are designed to be washed and re-worn. Many companies recommend purchasing at least 5 pairs for a cycle including some pairs for heavier flow and some for light days, The absorbent part of the underwear is not recyclable and must be thrown out but the outer non-absorbent parts can be recycled in textile recycling centres. Reusable underwear emit around 0.11kgCO2Eq/unit. Waste from reusable underwear account for around 1,210 tonnes.
Table 1:
Table summary of menstruation products
Product
Amount used per cycle
Annual Product Use (APU)
Estimated GHG emissions (kgCO2Eq/unit)
MMP emissions (kg CO2-Equiv./year)
Pads
16.5
198
0.029
21,049 (10 g/pad)
Tampons
16
191
0.018
5,854 (5 g/tampon)
Menstruation Cup
1
0.1
0.42
0.2 (15 g cup)
Reusable Underwear
2 + 3
2.5
0.11
1,210 (60 g average)
Table taken from UK Study (1) but slightly edited
Although reusable products do produce less waste because they can be used for longer, they produce SIGNIFICANTLY less waste largely due to not being as widely used as their single-use counterparts which are more mainstream. Nevertheless, the authors of the study suggested that if all women switched from pads to reusable underwear and from tampons to menstrual cups 22,907 tonnes of waste would be avoided and so would the emission of 78,937tonnes of CO2.
Table 2
theoretical switch from single-use to reusable products
Waste after the switch (t/year)
Potential Waste avoidable (t/year)
Emissions after the switch (tCO2-Equiv./year)
Potential avoidable emissions (tCO2-Equiv./year)
Pads to Underwear
3,987
17,062
2,924
58,120
Tampon to Cups
9
5,845
257
20,818
Total annual
3,996
22,907
3,180
78,937
Table taken from UK Study (1) but slightly edited
Cost
The switch from single-use to reusable products is not only considerably helpful for the environment, but is also beneficial financially on an individual level. Although prices vary significantly around the world, there is a consensus that one could save money using reusable products, especially menstrual cups. Reusable underwear are on the more expensive side, but alternatives such as reusable pads or cheaper options may be available.
