Sustainable sanitary products
Planet-friendly periods
Your Challenge
Many period products are single-use, contain plastics and harmful chemicals, and are disposable, destined for landfill. This challenge asks you to explore planet-friendly sustainable alternatives that work for you.
The world of sanitary products has developed in recent years, with a wide range of alternatives available:
- Washable pads – made from a variety of fabrics, in various shapes and sizes to suit you. They contain a thin layer of plastic inside to prevent leaks, surrounded by fabric. These are reusable (pop them in the machine with the rest of your washing as usual), and they should last for many years.
- Menstrual cups – these come in different materials and sizes depending on your age and whether you’ve had children. Although cups cost around £20, one cup is all you need and should last many years. Avoid cheap options, and always look for responsibly produced cups that are free of chemicals including BPA, which are present in cheap, plastic options. These should be sterilised once a month.
- Period pants – these have inbuilt pads and are designed to be less bulky and more convenient than other options. They’re available in different materials and sizes to suit you. They are washable and reusable, and designed to last many years.
If a reusable option isn’t practical or possible, don’t worry – there are still options out there to reduce your impact:
- Applicator-free tampons – these reduce the amount of waste, by removing the applicator which is used once and discarded.
- Reusable tampon applicators – if an applicator is needed, reusable options are available on the high street. Reusable applicators can be washed and stored safely for multiple uses.
- Organic products – look for organic cotton tampons and pads, which mean they are free of synthetic pesticides and other chemicals used to grow the cotton.
Make a simple swap that’s right for you and the planet.
Why you're doing this
In an average pack of sanitary pads, there’s around 36g of plastic, equivalent to five carrier bags.[1] Single-use plastics come at a high cost to our planet. They’re made from fossil fuels, and produce emissions during the extraction, manufacturing and shipping processes, only to be thrown in the bin after one use. From there they may end up in landfill or the oceans, or be burned with other waste. An estimated 28,000 tonnes of waste comes from sanitary products each year in the UK, 4% of which makes its way into the environment by being flushed down the toilet.[2]
In addition to plastic and waste, many sanitary products can contain endocrine disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, parabens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful to human health.[3] What’s more, if these chemicals leach into water during the manufacturing process, they can cause harm to wildlife and ecosystems.[4]
How you'll make a difference
Exploring more sustainable period products means we can lower our impact on the environment by reducing global demand for plastics and disposable items. This lowers global waste and pollution.
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