“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make” – Jane Goodall
From my conversations with other women, I have observed that there is a general lack of awareness about the environment-friendly and safe alternatives to the sanitary napkins. While sanitary napkins are the norm, more environment-friendly alternatives to sanitary napkins are now available in the market. And slowly and steadily women are embracing these new alternate means to menstrual hygiene which have a much lower impact on the environment, and are deemed healthier.
Environmental impacts of sanitary napkins are now well known. Sanitary napkins, which are generally manufactured with raw materials such as cotton mixed with other artificial absorbent materials, and layered with plastic materials, have a huge impact on the environment and in some cases, on the health of individuals. The cotton used in sanitary napkin is bleached to make it look more white, which may contain residual dioxins, and may thereby have adverse impact on the sensitive parts of our body on a long term exposures. Disposal of soiled sanitary napkins is a major concern, especially in a developing country like ours, where municipal waste management system does not incorporate technology-based solutions. Hence, the municipal waste management workers and the waste pickers are constantly being exposed to the soiled sanitary napkins. Open burning of sanitary napkins is very common, both in urban and rural settings, leading to harmful chemicals being released to the atmosphere.
Sanitation programs across India, more so rural India, are advocating adoption of sanitary napkins. However, the management and disposal of used sanitary napkins is hardly being addressed or being considered in such programs. This is especially important because in rural areas where waste management systems are rudimentary at their best, this could lead to bigger environmental health issues over a long term.
Here are some of the environment-friendly and safer alternatives to sanitary napkins that have gained much attention in recent times.
1. Menstrual cup
Menstrual cup is a bell-shaped cup made of medical grade silicone to collect the menstrual fluid. It is non-allergic and safe. Once inserted, the rim of the cup acts as a seal and collects menstrual fluid. One can go up to 12 hours without the need to drain the cup. To dispose off the collected menstrual liquid, the cup is removed and emptied followed by which it is rinsed. After rinsing the cup is ready for the next use. A single cup lasts a few years and usually costs around 700-800 rupees, although imported brands may cost a bit more. There are many different brands of menstrual cup available in the market and are also available online. The Shecup works well for me. You may check out the various brands on the links provided below.
http://www.shecup.com/
https://www.lunette.com/
2. Cloth pad
The cloth pad, as the name suggests is a washable and reusable cotton pad. Eco femme has both stitched and foldable varieties available. I often distribute this to women who are already comfortable with using cloth materials (mostly maids). The cloth quality is carefully considered keeping the purpose in mind. Read stories of women across the globe switching to the cloth pads here.
Ecofemme also manufactures cloth liners (panty liners) which are quite useful as a backup while figuring out the menstrual cup.
Source: ecofemme.org
Other options in India is
Uger pads
3. Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins
For those who consider the above options challenging, or not suitable to their needs or comfort, and wish to continue using sanitary napkins, they may consider the option of biodegradable sanitary napkins. These napkins do not use any chemicals and are made of natural materials such as cotton, bamboo etc (there are organic options too!) and thereby are bio-degradable. However their disposal could still be an issue, especially in the urban areas. Two brands that I am familiar with are
Anandi Pad:http://www.aakarinnovations.com
Organyc: http://biovea.net/in
An individual’s hygiene and health choices are a matter of personal choice and comfort. The above mentioned alternatives provide us with an opportunity to make a conscious decision in reducing our impact on the environment.
On a slightly different note, keeping the waste management issue in mind, a businessman from Gujarat, Mr.Shyam Bedekar, has designed an incinerator “Ashuddhi-nashak” for easy disposal of sanitary napkins. Many government schools are using these small and easy-to-use incinerators. While they offer a quick solution for disposal, the environmental impact of burning plastic containing sanitary napkin remains a concern.
Source: downtoearth.org.in
Shyam Sunder Bedekar can be reached at shyam61@yahoo.com or 09824074940
References & further reading:
http://thekachraproject.in/alternatives-to-commerical-sanitary-napkins/
https://in.news.yahoo.com/why-are-we-pretending-that-there-isn-t-a-growing-mountain-of-menstrual-waste-we-need-to-deal-with-111659074.html
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/simple-easy-and-healthy-51703
http://www.womensvoices.org/feminine-care-products/chem-fatale-report/
http://www.thealternative.in/lifestyle/menstrual-cups-time-to-reduce-monthly-plastic
