From the time when Aunt Flow first visited you, you may have been told, or taught, how to use a tampon. Some people don’t use them, but many women do. However, the majority of these women are not aware of the health and environmental issues associated with them.
Most people think that tampons, and pads, are made out of cotton. This isn’t entirely false, but it’s not entirely true either. Some parts of a cotton plant are used, just not the part that we think. These feminine products are mostly made of rayon, a synthetic fiber material made from cellulose, a major component in the cell walls of plants, such as cotton. Most people think the fruit of a cotton plant goes into making these products, but that is not always the case. Typically it’s just the components of the plant’s cell wall that are used. Even if cotton is used, much of the country’s cotton fields are sprayed heavily with pesticides or herbicides. Many tampons are also soaked with bleach in order for them to maintain that clean, white appearance. The absorbance of all these different chemicals, especially into such a sensitive part of the female body, can be dangerous.
The use of tampons may have some negative health effects, but there are also some environmental issues associated with feminine product disposal. If products are correctly disposed in proper waste bins, they go sit in a landfill. If products are incorrectly flushed down the toilet, they can enter, and pollute, the ocean, as well as other waterways.
An average woman will use around 16,000 tampons during her lifetime, maybe more. This is the average for a single woman. If we take into account all women using these products, I’m sure you can imagine how many millions of products are dumped in landfills every year. This also doesn’t take into account all of their packaging either. Tampons, and pads, also tend to stay in these landfills awhile because they are made mostly of synthetic material and plastics, which doesn’t allow them to break down very quickly. And this is just if they are disposed of correctly. If these products are flushed down the toilet, they can end up in our waterways, polluting them and causing a threat to marine life.
Next time you’re buying feminine products, try looking for organic tampons! Find some made without rayon or ones with BPA-free applicators, for example. While some of these options are better for your body, their disposal still has negative environmental effects. If you want to help both your body and the environment, try using a menstrual cup!
This is a great alternative to tampons because it is better for you, your wallet, and the world around you! You don’t have to worry about Toxic Shock Syndrome, or absorbing chemicals into your body. You can put it in in the morning and you don’t have to think about it again until the evening time if you don’t want to. It can be left in all day! Also, once you buy one, you can reuse it for as long as you want! While some of the popular brands, like Diva Cup, can be more expensive, it is only a one-time purchase, which ends up becoming cheaper than buying box after box of tampons. You also don’t need to worry about disposal. By reusing a menstrual cup, you can reduce the amount of trash disposed into landfills and waterways.
I hope I’ve encouraged you all to look for alternatives to standard feminine products. Try finding organic products or consider using a menstrual cup. It may seem like switching to a cup is a big change to make, but I promise that it is worth it, both for your health and the wellbeing of the world around you!