This week is EnviroMenstrual Week – a week, founded by Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), focused upon advocating everyone’s right to toxic free and environmentally friendly period products.

The taboo that still exists globally around periods is problematic - WEN’s report found 58% of people who menstruate have experienced embarrassment from being on their period. Menstruation is an important and healthy part of life, yet societally has been shrouded in secrecy and shame. 2.3 billion people around the world lack access to basic sanitary products. The taboo that exists around periods is detrimental and people are not receiving the help they need because of it.

This taboo comes with a great environmental cost. Period taboo has a massive effect on the products we use, and how we dispose of these products. Education around periods in schools etc. often fail to mention reusable and sustainable period products as an option. While the shame that surrounds periods encourages the use of disposable options - we’re taught to dispose of period blood as quickly as possible. And as a result, periods produce a lot of waste. Around 10% of sewage related debris on beaches is composed of period products and packaging. While sanitary towels can be composed of up to 90% plastic materials. By keeping periods out of mainstream media, sustainable and environmental alternatives are being kept out of public knowledge.

Also, manufacturers aren’t legally required to state what is in period products. As a result harmful chemicals and hidden plastics can be put inside our bodies, without us knowing. During Lockdown in the UK, around 30% of people who menstruate aged 14-21 struggled to afford period products. People are forced to buy the least sustainable, and least chemical-free period products, as these are often the most affordable period products advertised.

What can we do?

• GET INVOLVED WITH ACTIVISM: WEN has organised a number of petitions focused upon making period products more sustainable. They also have a number of templates, to make contacting period products manufacturers to demand less plastic in the manufacturing process
  
  
• MAKE THE SWITCH: 1.5 billion period products are flushed down the toilet every year in the UK alone. By making a change to reusable period products, we can help stop this waste. Menstrual cups act as a sustainable alternative to tampons – and can hold around three times as much blood as regular tampons. Washable cloth pads and period pants are a sustainable alternative to sanitary towels. WEN has teamed up with a number of brands, to provide discount codes for reusable, and organic and chemical free products
  
  
• HELP BREAK THE TABOO: use hashtags #PeriodAction, #PlasticFreePeriod and #EnvironmenstrualWeek to join the revolution, keep updated and keep the conversation about sustainable and healthy period products in public eye!

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