I have been a menstruator for 17.5 years, and I am only 27 years old. With every cycle, I have received the gift of dysmenorrhea. I have consumed more painkillers than a child should have to. I have also remained loyal to one brand of menstrual napkins (pads), a legacy that was passed onto me by my mother and sister.
Through all the painful trauma, stains, rashes, chafing, insensitive school teachers, barfing during exams, growing well before age, and not having supportive peers- I only had one friend, and his name was Whisper. He was my saviour, made with a lot of love, care, and a soul. Befriending him was a long-drawn procedure – denial, surrender, acceptance, learning how to wear it properly – took several years, and it soon became a way of life.
Last year, a young girl asked me for a pad, and I gave her my Green XL, but she asked me if I had a ‘Pink one’ which was made of cotton and did not give her rashes. Dumbstruck and embarrassed, I started reading about the commercial menstrual pads, and realized how we all are being fooled: the “cottony” pad was not actual cotton. I went to several chemist shops, they were all flooded with big brands, and the pharmacists tried very hard to convince me that the cottony variety was the best option. I felt cheated.
What a blithering buffoon had I been all these years! Perched in the most intimate part of my body, he was a devil in disguise. Earlier this year, I found a perfect opportunity for my redemption: The YKA – Action Network Fellowship on Sustainable Menstruation. I took it up as a once in a lifetime offer to educate myself, and in the process, become a catalyst to create awareness and perhaps save a few menstruators from this experience. Some of the worrying facts that came to light through my research:
- There are 355 million menstruators in India. That’s 30% of India’s population.
- 57.6% of women (15–24 years) are now using menstrual pads, with some use of cloth as well (77.5% – urban populations, 48.2% – rural counterpart).
- Commercial menstrual napkins take 500-800 years to decompose, as they are 90% plastic.
- Over 1 billion used napkins (biomedical waste) are discarded in India PER MONTH.
- Indian Menstrual Napkin market is predicted to grow to $522 million (approx. Rs 3,400 crore) by 2020
- Two of the most problematic ingredients used in a commercial non-biodegradable menstrual napkin are:
Credits: Jeunesse – Dioxins are used to bleach the absorbent core, and it is responsible for side effects in the body, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cancer, immune system damage, impaired fertility, and diabetes. Dioxins are carcinogenic in nature.
– Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs): in the 1980s, the use of SAPs was restricted in tampons (in the US) due to its possible link with toxic shock syndrome, a potentially fatal illness caused by a bacterial toxin. - Types of pads available to us in a skewed manner
– Biodegradable materials: break down into Co2, H20, and other inorganic compounds through natural biological processes, over any time period, and under natural conditions.
– Compostable materials are a subset of biodegradable materials and undertake the same degeneration process, but within 90-180 days and under specific composting conditions. Products that claim to be eco-friendly should be compostable
Credits: Firstpost.com in nature.
– Oxo-degradable materials, albeit biodegradable, are plastics that have added chemicals, and if they enter the soil or water systems, can cause adverse environmental repercussions and serious health implications (such as cancers, endocrine disruption, and impaired immunity).
According to the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, sanitary waste is the responsibility of the generator, that is the manufacturers of the products. However, the manufacturers, mainly multinational corporations, do not take any responsibility for their effective collection and disposal beyond the cautionary message that they should not be flushed down the toilets.
While the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has updated standard for menstrual pads IS 5404:2019 to ensure safe use if the country is truly invested in Swachh Bharat and Safety of its Daughters, then rectifying the commercialization of the menstrual product industry and adopting a ‘no compromise on menstrual products’ safety’ approach is no longer a choice.
The Plastic Free Period Campaign aims to take menstruators’ voices to the decision-makers in the country. India can and should invest in the uterus and eco-friendly menstrual napkins and slowly do away with plastic and chemicals based commercial pads. If this resonated with you, please sign the petition ‘Dear Health Minister, Why are there Plastics & Chemicals in My Menstrual Pad?’ here.