Often seen as a taboo subject, let’s change that! It’s time we talked about the massive impact period waste has on the plastic waste crisis.
Let’s Talk About… Periods!
Welcome to day 8 of #GreenBookFairies in support of #PlasticFreeJuly! Today we are tackling the subject of periods and hope to give you some eco-alternatives.
The problem:
National Geographic: rough estimates for the likely output are staggering: In 2018 alone, people in the U.S. bought 5.8 billion tampons, and over the course of a lifetime, a single menstruator will use somewhere between 5 and 15 thousand pads and tampons, the vast majority of which will wind up in landfills as plastic waste.
The solutions:
Switch to a cup or washable items to save the planet and YOUR MONEY!
- a silicon cup – most commonly known as the ‘Moon Cup’ is a fully waste-free option.
- washable pads and tampons
- disposable tampons made from natural fibres, with no applicator
Things to consider:
If you use the cup and are out and about, it’s best to look for a toilet that includes a sink, to make it a little easier to manage.
If you use washables, take a wet bag with you to pop your dirties in until you’re home to rinse them and put them in the wash.
Top tip: get some solid, organic & vegan stain remover to rub into the washable items. You can even grate some into hot water to add to the wash!
Where you can buy these items:
https://andkeep.com/ – an eco website in the UK
For washable tampons, one of the popular brands is ImseVimse, so see if you can find them locally.
For the cup, some popular brands are OrganiCup, Saalt and Moon Cup.
For washable sanitary towels and liners, look on Etsy as crafty people make them by hand in lots of fun designs!
Fairy verdict:
“Using washable sanitary pads and tampons can seem complicated when traveling. You just have to put them in a bag provided for this purpose, soak them when returning and put them in the washing machine. Easy!”
– Marjorie, Toulouse