Zero Waste Periods
Are Overdue. Period.

As a part of our Made Out of WHAT? Social month, we tackle a big and complex question that touches both environmental and societal issues. Menstruation matters because most of the biologically female part of the human population goes through this process for many years of life. As a result, a woman roughly consumes an average of 11,000 single-use tampons or pads in her lifetime, which largely come with toxic chemicals and take hundreds of years to degrade in nature. Let us explore the ways in which a zero-waste period is simultaneously beneficial for the planet, social equality, and female health. 

What are two things that oceans and menstruation have in common? They both follow the cycles of the moon and they both involve way too much plastic waste. As we all know, menstruation is a natural process of the female body, and in some cultures the phenomenon is even celebrated as menstrual blood nurtures the foetus while in the womb. But for such a natural process, why does it result in so much unnatural and polluting trash? In our age of ecocrisis, it is time to switch to a zero-waste period. 

Historically, the red time of the month was viewed superstitiously in both negative and positive ways across different cultures and eras. This essential bodily process, experienced by half of the world’s population, is often still clouded in shame, taboo and misinformation. Today, due to growing global awareness, menstruation is finally a topic of conversation that can be opened up and discussed in healthy ways, including the vast health and ecological impacts of modern sanitary products. Thankfully, the topic is not limited to western privileged women only as women in all walks of life are opening their minds (and legs) to a more female and environmentally friendly approach to the menstrual cycle.  

Before the widespread use of industrial feminine sanitary products, women were using homemade rags to soak up the blood, and in some parts of the world this is still the case. This practice is often unhygienic and prevents women from leaving the house to go to school or work. Interestingly, the first official tampon was created for wider distribution in the 1920s. Leaping forward to 2019, according to the Women’s Environmental Network, an average woman (who has access to feminine sanitary products) consumes between 125-150kg of tampons, pads and applicators in her lifetime. Not surprisingly, the industry behind these products invests a lot of money in propagating the idea that menstrual blood is a dirty nuisance and should be hidden. Dr. Christiane Northrup’s seminal book Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom gives us a glimpse of the sexist perspective with her quote from a tampon box from the 1950’s: 

‘Don’t take advantage of your husband…you wouldn’t connect it with menstruation, for instance. Yet, if you neglect the simple rules that make menstruation a normal time of month, and retire for a few days each month, as though you were ill, you’re taking advantage of your husband’s good nature. He married a full-time wife, not a part-time one. So you should be active, peppy, and cheerful every day.’ 

Fast forward to 2019 commercials: blue liquid is often shown instead of blood, and menstruation is also often portrayed as a negative experience that needs to be soaked up and tucked away as efficiently as possible. This perspective bolsters the divide between our female connection to our monthly cycles and therefore supports the multi-billion dollar industry that works hard to sell us products every month to rid us of this ‘burden.’ 

To add insult to injury, most single-use tampons and pads are not only bad for the environment, but they are also potentially harmful to female bodies. Non-organic tampons are particularly toxic as they have been found to contain endocrine disrupting chemicals and carcinogenic dioxins. Peculiarly, these substances are not listed on tampon packages as they are considered medical devices.

What’s the alternative? 

Fortunately, there are now fantastic alternatives to toxic sanitary products. To find out about the wonderful world of plastic-free periods, I talked to zero-waste enthusiast Mandana Hematy, who set up an online store selling menstrual cups, period panties and reusable pads back in 2011. It struck me when Mandana told me that when she started her business just seven years ago, women were averse to these alternatives believing that the whole business of reusable period products was a ‘dirty hassle’. As previously mentioned, cultural and commercial conditioning instilled the idea that periods are filthy and therefore best ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ This mentality, however convenient, hinders the environment as pads, tampons and applicators are made out of plastic and often soaked with toxic chemicals that contribute to the global trash epidemic. 

Since then period positivity has progressed quickly, and products like Mandana’s are popping up in regular stores all over the world. Menstrual or moon cups are a good alternative for internal use, while reusable pads are good for external use, or for a back-up layer when using a menstrual cup. A recent invention, period panties, are also a creative reusable option for women who don’t want to wear anything at all. As a last resort, organic and plant-based pads and tampons are better than conventional products because at least they are not toxic to your body. 

Buying reusable menstrual products is also good for your wallet as demonstrated by the following financial facts:

'As women spend, on average, about US $116/year on disposable sanitary products, the use of menstrual cups equates to a loss of one percentage point of the market, meaning a potential loss to the sanitary protection industry of US $3.9m each year.' 

What about privilege?

Due to the sensitivity of this topic, it is important to emphasize that a zero-waste period is not a purely privileged or culturally specific perspective. In today’s world, many women still do not have access to proper sanitary hygiene due to ‘period poverty’ in even the richest countries. Menstrual cups are already helping women in difficult economic conditions, to make their lives easier for those 5-7 days of the month. As such, a zero-waste period culture also addresses issues of economic hardship by giving women their dignity back. As such, menstrual cups can act as a catalyst for social change, especially when combined with education for girls that need it such as the brilliant Ruby Cup project.  

Having a plastic-free period should not be considered a step back in human ‘herstory’ but rather a healthy step forward so that women can have healthier habits that are good for inner vaginal ecology and outer environmental ecology. 

-Tina Ateljevic

You can find Mandana Hematy’s website here and follow her on facebook here

Banner Image: Artist: Veronika Richterová 
Photo by Michal Cihlář