6 Ways to Make Your Period More Sustainable

Tampons and pads are the most popular menstrual products, but little by little they are starting to be dethroned from their long-held podium. These products not only contain traces of dioxin from bleach, pesticide residues, fragrances, and PFAS (most commonly known as ‘forever chemicals’) that are harmful to health, but they also have a terrible impact on the environment.

Only in the United States, approximately 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are discarded each year, which means they end up in the landfill, clogging sewers, or polluting the ocean. It’s estimated that a regular non-organic pad can take between 500 and 800 years to break down, and probably will never biodegrade, because they are mostly made of plastic (approximately 90% of a disposable pad or tampon is made of plastic–mostly polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester–the equivalent to four plastic shopping bags in one product). Additionally, one single person will use between 5,000 and 15,000 pads and tampons in their lifetime and will throw away around 400 pounds of period product packaging. A year’s worth of disposable period product leaves a carbon footprint that’s comparable to nearly 12 pounds of CO2, and creates more than 200,000 metric tons of waste.

We get our periods at a young age, and from then onwards we develop habits that were probably passed on by whoever taught us about menstrual hygiene. Those were different times, and now we have a wider world of possibilities to choose from, most of which are more sustainable than the regular pad or tampon we are used to. However, old habits are difficult to let go of, and because this is such a personal matter, it can be challenging to embrace sustainability in this area of our lives. The good news is that you don’t have to make a 360-degree change from one day to the next. Instead, you can gradually lean towards an eco-friendlier period!

For this reason, I came up with a few ideas to start making your period more sustainable, step by step, so you don’t feel overwhelmed or scared about making a change.

6 STEPS TOWARDS AN ECO-FRIENDLIER PERIOD

1.Choose organic cotton

A great first step towards a more sustainable period is to start changing regular pads and tampons for organic cotton ones. This way, you will not only avoid harmful chemicals, synthetic materials, and perfumes (which are linked to health problems), but you will also be making a positive change for the environment.

There are several brands that offer this alternative, like Natracare, who offers plastic-free period products. Their tampons are made from GOTS-certified 100% organic cotton, vegan, cruelty-free, and dioxin, dye, and perfume free.

What I like most about them is that they can be composted in a hot or cold compost bin, a process that will take around 90 days for pads, and 4 weeks for tampons. Don’t forget to read my post about the differences between compostable and biodegradable materials. Their cardboard applicators can also be recycled or composted, and are a better alternative to plant-based applicators, which are made with a bio-plastic material that has the same structure as oil-based plastic, meaning they won’t biodegrade. Such a great eco swap!

Other organic cotton brands that are commonly available at supermarkets and pharmacies are Cora, The Honey Pot Company, and Rael.

2. Ditch applicators

Another great step to make your period more sustainable is to ditch applicators, which is something I didn’t even knew about until I moved to the U.S. (I don’t think it’s popularly used in Argentina, where I’m from).

Applicators are basically single-use plastic and, even though they could be recyclable, they are usually not accepted for sanitary reasons, because they are considered medical waste. They are unnecessarily used for a second, but it will take over 20 years to break down in marine environments and could also be ingested by animals. According to Susan Shaw, founder and executive director of the Marine and Environmental Research Institute, and leading expert on the plastics in the ocean, marine animals commonly mistake applicator-sized plastics with food. Animals eat them and their digestive tracts are blocked, leading to potential death for starvation. Moreover, the processing of raw materials used in the production of applicators, which includes low-density polyethylene, demands a lot of energy and is considered an environmentally harmful pollutant.

Estimating the usage of one tampon every four to six hours, for a total of about four to 6 tampons daily (or even more), would add up to 20 or 40 tampons during the duration of a period, which would double the amount of waste if these tampons also had an applicator.

3. Period underwear

I heard about period underwear for the first time a few years ago, and at first, I didn’t understand the logistics. However, I eventually found them super useful to use as extra back-up during heavier period days, mostly days 1 and 2, and avoid leaks. Some people use them on their own, which is a great way to reduce irritation and waste from pads and tampons, as they are washable and reusable. For this reason, it will also save you money in the long-term, and might even introduce you to a feeling of freedom that you will seek for the rest of your life!

Period underwear has gone beyond just underwear, as it includes panties, as well as pajama shorts, workout shorts, leggings, and short leggings–a type of product for every need. The only thing I would suggest you to consider before buying one, is to make sure you are buying from a PFA-free brand, as there have been claims to certain companies in the past, when these forever chemicals were found in their products.

Some companies that sell PFA-free period underwear are Saalt, The Period Company, and Bambody, among others.

4. Reusable pads

Another great way to reduce waste from menstrual products is to go the old fashion way and use reusable pads.

There are many options to choose from, but the best is to buy pads that are made from eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton or bamboo. You can buy a few in different sizes according to your menstrual flow and needs. After using them you can quickly hand wash them and then throw them in the laundry machine, with the rest of your clothes.

Reusable pads will not only help the environment by reducing the amount of waste from single-use menstrual products, but it is said to be a more natural alternative, as they can help reduce menstrual cramps, infections, and skin rashes. Also, it’s worth mentioning that, even though they can cost more up front, they will save you money in the long-term, as reusable pads can last three to five years (replacing 3-5 years’ worth of disposable pads!).

I suggest you buy them from a small or local business. I bought mine from Etsy!

5. Menstrual Cup

Behold the menstrual cup, which is estimated to save a person 2400 pads or tampons in their lifetime. Just as the other reusable alternatives I mentioned, a menstrual cup will be lighter on your wallet with the passing of time, because you can use it, clean it, and reuse it, in contrast to tampons. They are made of silicone or rubber, not latex, which are less allergy-prone materials.

In addition to the environmental perks, menstrual cups reduce irritation and vaginal dryness, are easy to clean, and promise fewer leaks than regular tampons. They can be used for up to 12 hours–a longer wear time than tampons, which can be used for up to 8 hours.

In terms of practicality, menstrual cups may be hard to insert or remove at first, but with some practice you can become an expert. Also, they may be difficult to clean in public, but with planning and the knowledge that they can be left for 12 hours, it can be managed. For these reasons, making this swap can be scary for some people, that is why this product could be a step you take later in your sustainability journey, and in the meantime, use the eco-friendly alternatives mentioned above.

6. Menstrual DISCS

Discs are the menstrual cup’s sister. They are circular and shallow discs that are placed just below the cervix and are typically made of soft and flexible materials like silicone. Like its sibling, they can be used for up to 12 hours, which means you can sleep calmly without having to worry about overusing it, and risking toxic shock syndrome and other health concerns, as is the case with tampons. Menstrual discs also hold more fluids than tampons and pads, and don’t cause dryness or irritation.

Another incredible perk that they offer is that you can safely have sex while wearing them, something that some menstrual cups also allow, not to mention the fact that you can empty your disc while still wearing it, by pushing down on your pelvic, and then pushing the disc back into place.

The environmental benefits are the same as the menstrual cup’s, given that they are reusable and replace the same number of single-use pads and tampons, just make sure you don’t accidentally buy the disposable menstrual discs (which are also available).

It doesn’t matter where in your sustainability journey you are, there’s always room for improvement, and we should always strive for progress, and not perfection. If you still use regular tampons and pads, or applicators, don’t be harsh on yourself. Baby steps are the way to go, and maybe the day will come when you just use a menstrual cup or disc and become zero-waste in this area of your life. You got this!

Have you taken any of these steps towards a more sustainable period? Let me know in the comments.

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Hi, I’m Melina,

I’m the creator of Sustainable Rookie, and my goal is to share what I learn throughout my sustainability journey, so that I can help other people live a more conscious life.

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