Many people are looking for ways to live that are more sustainable. You may use a reusable water bottle instead of ones you toss after one use. When choosing what kind of period products you want to use, you can follow the same idea.
More people are opting for period products that can be washed and used more than once. Reusable products can make a big difference. For example, in the U.S. alone about 20 billion single use, disposable period products end up in landfills every year. Tampons and pads sometimes get flushed down toilets, where they can contribute to microplastics in the ocean, too.
Many of the pads you’ll find at the store are mostly plastic. They’re also wrapped in plastic with sticky adhesives. It adds up to the amount of plastic you’d find in four plastic bags. Plastic takes a long time to break down. So all that plastic from tampons and pads and their packaging will be around for 500 years or more.
Tampons are mainly made of cotton or rayon, which breaks down a lot faster. They don’t have nearly as much plastic. But many tampon brands still come with single-use applicators that can’t be recycled or reused. On top of the amount of waste, single-use menstrual or period products also can have lots of chemicals in them that could be toxic to you or to the environment. These may include:
- Phthalates
- Parabens
- Phenols
- Dioxins
- Metals
Today you can choose from a variety of reusable products to make your periods more eco-friendly. For example, you can use reusable:
- Period underwear
- Pads
- Menstrual cups or disks
- Tampons with plastic-free applicators
Single-use period products weren’t always the norm. Disposable pads entered the market in 1969. Before that, people mainly used reusable cotton pads with a menstrual belt. Menstrual cups and tampons were invented early on, too, but they’ve become more popular only recently.
The market for reusable period products continues to grow. But some products might not be as friendly to the environment as you might think. For example, cotton, even if it’s organic, uses lots of land to grow it. So there’s lots to consider when you’re deciding the best way to manage your period in a way that’s easier on the environment.
Menstrual Cups
There are several eco-friendly menstrual products available. Menstrual cups are one of them.
Reusable menstrual cups have been around since the 1930s but have only become more commonplace in recent years.
Menstrual cups are made from medical-grade silicone, latex, or rubber. You insert a menstrual cup into your vagina, and it holds your menstrual fluids. Depending on your flow, you can leave it in for up to 12 hours. Then you remove, empty, wash, and reinsert it.
Sterilize your menstrual cup after each menstrual cycle and before you use it for the first time. You can do this by submerging it in boiling water for 5 minutes, or you can use a sterilizing solution.
It’s estimated that using a menstrual cup creates about 0.4% of the plastic waste produced by pads and 6% of the plastic waste produced by tampons.
Using menstrual cups can also lower your water use. In two studies, women said that fewer leaks meant not needing to wash stained clothes as often. Also, you use less water cleaning menstrual cups compared with reusable pads and cloths.
It might take time for you to get used to using a menstrual cup. For example, they can be:
- Messy
- Hard to put in
- Ill fitting
- Hard to get out
You’ll also have to clean and sterilize them after each cycle.
Menstrual Discs
Like a menstrual cup, a menstrual disc is inserted into your vagina where it collects your menstrual fluids. But a menstrual disc sits at the base of your cervix, while a menstrual cup uses suction to stay in your vaginal canal. Some people think they’re more comfortable than menstrual cups.
Many menstrual discs are disposable. But there are some reusable options available. Like menstrual cups, menstrual discs also may take some getting used to.
Period Underwear
This type of underwear has many layers in its lining. The layers are usually made from microfiber polyester that traps your menstrual blood. Period underwear can hold as much as one or two tampons.
Some companies have even produced period swimwear, leotards, and athletic shorts.
Depending on the brand, a pair of period underwear can cost between $24 and $65. If properly taken care of, they should last for about 2 years.
Reusable Menstrual Pads
Regular disposable pads have layers of synthetic fibers and are about 90% plastic. These layers include a center with absorbent polymers and a plastic waterproof backing to help prevent leakage. They’re also packaged and wrapped in even more plastic.
An eco-friendly alternative to disposable pads is the reusable menstrual pad. It works like a disposable pad. You secure it to your underwear, and it absorbs menstrual blood externally. After using it, you rinse, wash, and dry it. You can reuse it after it dries.
Reusable pads can last at least five years.
Bamboo Sanitary Pads
Disposable pads are used more than any other type of period product. Most of them are up to 90% plastic. Because bamboo grows fast, it is considered a more eco-friendly material for disposable pads and other products. Bamboo fiber is absorbent and biodegradable. It also takes less chemicals to process bamboo compared to wood pulp.
One study that considered the entire life cycle of bamboo pads compared to conventional ones found less environmental impacts from pads made from plants. But bamboo pads that you throw away after one use still have much more impact on the environment than products you can reuse.
Organic Pads and Tampons
One study that looked at environmental impacts of period products found that disposable pads had the most impacts, whether they were organic or not. The only exception was that they used less water than some other options.
You’d think organic options would be better for the environment or more sustainable. But the study found that this wasn’t always true. Organic pads had worse impacts in many areas, including land use. Most of the impacts came from the production of organic cottonseed.
Disposable organic tampons also had worse effects on the environment than non-organic ones. That’s because of other components in them, such as polypropylene, polyester, and biopolymers. If you’re concerned about the environment, the choice between organic or non-organic may not be straightforward. It’s best to choose products you can reuse over anything that’s disposable.
Comparing Eco-Friendly Period Options
To figure out all the environmental impacts of different period products, one study examined the entire life cycle of all the products. This includes all the energy and materials needed for their:
- Production
- Transport
- Use, including washing
- Disposal
After considering everything, the study found menstrual cups were best for the environment. That means they had the lowest impacts. Next best was period underwear you can wash and reuse. Reusable pads also landed near the top of the list.
The study also found that single-use pads had the worst impacts on the environment. That was true even when they were organic. Disposable tampons, including organic tampons, also had high environmental impacts, mostly from the plastics in their applicators.
Eco-Friendly Period Products and Costs
Period products aren’t just easier on the environment. They’re also easier on your wallet. That’s true even though they might cost you a little more up front since you can keep using them for years. It’s estimated that the average person will spend thousands of dollars on period products that they’ll throw away after one use.
Many people in the U.S. also have trouble paying for period products. There’s even a name for this. It’s called “period poverty.” One study found that about 1 in 3 people who menstruate had missed work because they didn’t have the period products they needed.
Over 10 years, menstrual cups cost 5% as much as single use pads and 7% the cost of tampons. They also contribute much less plastic waste.
