People who menstruate like to keep their period kits handy. But, is your period kit eco-friendly? Do sanitary pads and tampons that fill up our landfills affect the environment?

There’s a lot of plastic that goes into Sanitary pads and tampons right from the packaging time. This is a major source of plastic pollution because  plastic used to manufacture these pads are non-biodegradable. Experts warn that they usually take around 500 years to decompose. The need is to reduce plastic footprints.

Yes, we do have sustainable alternatives for the non-biodegradable components of the period kit. The two main sustainable product lines are reusable cloth pads and the menstrual cup. They are not just a better biodegradable alternative but even  low on cost.

Let’s talk about menstrual cups. They are bell-shaped flexible receptacles that collect blood. It can be re-used by emptying and washing it after every use. They are easy to insert and several tutorials on it are available on the internet. One menstrual cup can be re-used for more than six  months where sanitary pads or tampons need to be discarded after single use.

Check out our story about Shivani chopra who set out on a journey across Tamil Nadu to educate women about ‘sustainable periods’. Lawyer and environmental activist Chopra says that if menstrual health and hygiene is addressed and managed properly, it has a potential to contribute both to female empowerment and environmental issues.

“I noticed how I was generating a colossal amount of menstrual waste every month. And six years ago this realisation drove me into switching to a cup,” says Chopra.

“Just like I benefitted, I wanted to make sure that other women also benefited from this switch, especially women who are victims to the stigma attached to periods and those who do not have access, knowledge or means to buy these cups,” she adds.

Check-out our story here: