By Nihal Singh
Pollution is a rising problem in our modern society with awareness raised through protests and social media campaigns. From planting trees to passing laws on how long a car is road legal, governments have started to pass laws to address global warming issues and reduce human impact on the environment. Many of the products that women use end up in landfills or pollute our oceans, and among these are sanitary items such as pads or tampons.
Hence in this article, I would like to address the issue of the non-sustainability of sanitary items that are a necessity for every woman. As well as how we can tackle this issue to reduce our impact on the environment with the help of eco-friendly products.
What is the issue?
Women dispose of multiple pads or tampons every day for up to a week per month. So with the large number of women that populate the earth, you can imagine how many millions of sanitary items are disposed of on a daily basis. Most pads or tampons are not biodegradable and are usually made of low-density polyethylene, a hard plastic that can take many years to disintegrate.
How can we solve the problem?
Now many companies have realized the importance of moving away from harmful products and moving to a more sustainable alternative. Now one can find cloth pads as well as bamboo-based pads that are both safe and environment friendly. If awareness can be raised across the world about the negative effects of sanitary items on the environment and promote eco-friendly options, many women may begin using these products. Not only that but once the demand rises for more eco-friendly products, companies will also begin moving to produce these environmentally friendly options.
Why should women choose the alternative?
It is estimated that over the course of 20 years, a woman can spend up to $1500 on just pads and tampons. If they are looking to reduce their expenses, cloth pads are a much cheaper and cost-effective option, which could save someone hundreds of dollars in the long run. Not only that, it is said that the material that most pads are made of is not good for the skin and can cause irritation and rashes. In severe cases, women have suffered from toxic shock due to long-term usage of pads or tampons. Although this is extremely rare and there are very few cases, it is a very easily avoidable risk.
How does Jagrati Aim to solve the problem?
As we are constantly not only raising awareness but also providing pads to many women in India who do not even have the basic necessities they require. We want to simultaneously raise awareness of environment-friendly options and reach out to local Indian companies to support us in our journey to provide safe and biodegradable options to women in rural areas of India.