'Sanitary Pad' advertisements on your television goes gaga about why to switch to pads than use cloth or about ultra thin pads with gel lock technology promising no leaks, no embarrassing moments.
'Sanitary Pad' advertisements on your television goes gaga about why to switch to pads than use cloth or about ultra thin pads with gel lock technology promising no leaks, no embarrassing moments.
Each advertisement in its own way convinces women folks on a safe and hassle-free period. To most of the women out there, sanitary pads are a boon; an ideal solution that helps ease off their menstruation issues.
But, do we realise the 'hidden' harm pads cause to us and the very environment we live in?", Ms. Kokila questioned at the session organised at Mango Education on sustainable menstrual practices.
Around 25-30 women had gathered at a learning centre in lawley road on February 11 to know the facts behind sanitary pads and wondered what would be the alternatives for pads.
The session was ushered by Mrs. Kokila Alangaram, an activist supporting sustainable menstrual practices.
"Well, like the two-sides of a coin, sanitary pads too has its own flip-side. Yes...sanitary pads are perilous enough to be cancer causing agents", opined Mrs Kokila.
Her statement and presentation against sanitary pads baffled the listeners.
"Many of us are aware that pads are non bio-degradable, hence a burden on landfills but we have no idea on it's implications on women health. How detrimental these pads could turn on women health is often ignored", she expressed.
According to the survey reports she presented, sanitary pads carry carcinogenic particles in form of chemicals like BPA and BPS which can complicate embryonic development. Such chemicals can also lead to organ damage, her reports revealed.
"The fiber in the absorbent pads that makes the period ‘safe’ is actually the cause for cervical cancer. Cellulose gel is what assists in absorption and controls leakage but we confuse it with cotton. Most pads are uniformly white in colour because of the bleach effect. Apart from cotton, sanitary pads also contain rayon, a synthetic fiber, which is very dangerous as it contains 'dioxin'. Basically, when rayon is bleached, it releases dioxin", Mrs. Kokila told the women audience.
"Approximately, a woman might be using 6,000 sanitary napkins in her lifetime. And, when dioxin accumulates in the body, it could pose serious health risks and diseases such as immune system damage, diabetes, hormone dysfunction, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cancer and more", she shell-shocked the audience.
Apart from the health hazards, over a billion of these non-compostable sanitary pads are making their way into sewerage systems, landfills, agricultural fields and importantly water bodies posing irrevocable environmental degradation. Sadly, in many forest lands, disposed sanitary pads are mistakenly consumed by animals who later suffocate to death.
Though our government is striving hard to enable all women and girls, especially from rural pockets have easy access to sanitary napkins, the need of the hour is much more. As experts say, more attention needs to be paid in managing menstrual waste, which is estimated to be a whopping 1,13,000 tonnes annually.
So, what becomes an alternative to this? Mrs. Kokila has an answer to it. “There are menstrual products that are safe for your body, your wallet and the environment yet assuring a super-comfortable period."
According to her, cloth pads, menstruation cups and Inter Labia pads are the alternative and eco-friendly options in comparison to the regular pad.
They are reusable, sustainable, safe and eco-friendly option for periods. Each of it has its own benefit and women can choose the option based on the menstruation flow and need, she added.
“On an average woman menstruate for about 30 years in her life cycle. A menstrual cup that costs about Rs.1000 lasts for a maximum of 10 years. A full-cycle cloth pad kit that costs about Rs. 1500 lasts about 3 years. Whereas the sanitary pads costs Rs.165 each month, roughly Rs. 2000 per year. The calculations are right here but a wiser option is to use what is long lasting and health and environment benefiting.” she concluded.
Though there no concrete scientific publications that advise women to refrain from usage of sanitary pads. The fact that these pads just not absorb the menstrual blood but indeed absorb the goodness of the soil, surely convinces every women to re-think of switching over to sustainable menstrual practices.