Menstruation, more commonly known as a period, is something that people with uteruses will go through roughly every month from when they are a teenager to middle age. The average (menstruating!) person will use around 11,000 sanitary products throughout their lifetime, and this will cost roughly £6,000! Read the following tabs to find out more about periods, the menstrual cycle, what sanitary product options are available and the difference between them.
A period or menstruation is a part of the menstrual cycle, where the lining of the uterus is shed.
This normally happens roughly every month, lasts for a few days on average and will happen from puberty until menopause.
However, everyone’s cycle is different!
Watch these videos to find out more about the menstrual cycle.
When people with uteruses menstruate, products are used to absorb or catch menstrual blood.
Have you heard of any period products? If so, which ones?
Watch this video to find out about different products available!
Disposable menstrual products are products that can only be used once, then they must be put in the bin and disposed of.
Single use products should be put in the general waste bin – never flushed down the toilet!
Pads and liners are single use, disposable products worn for up to 8 hours
Tampons are single use, disposable products worn for up to 8 hours
It’s estimated that 1 pack of sanitary pads have as much plastic as 5 plastic bags! (Naturacare, 2019)
2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million pads are flushed down the toilet every single day, in the UK alone!
These items can end up in rivers, beaches and the sea, and are bad for the environment and the wildlife that call them home.
Did you know there are reusable period products?
This means that they can be used, cleaned and used again! How many times a reusable period product can be reused depends on what material it’s made from.
What do you think the benefits of period products being reusable are?
There are alternatives to disposable tampon applicators – the DAME device can be loaded with a non applicator tampon
Menstrual cups are made from soft materials such as latex, or silicone. They are folded and inserted internally, like a tampon, and come in different sizes and shapes.
Similar to ‘standard’ pads and liners, but they can be reused!
Underwear with absorbent materials worn instead of your normal underwear during your period.
There are lots of options for period products, non reusable and reusable.
Take a look at the following diagrams to see comparisons between the different types, and to see what best fits your needs.
If you decide to use disposable products, remember to put them in the bin and not to flush them!
Teachers:
Teaching students and groups about Sustainability and Periods can:
