Biodegradable Sanitary Pads ‘Safe’ For Women As Well as Eco-friendly

Highlights:

Indian made biodegradable sanitary napkins are now available to women under various brand names. They are natural, do not contain plastic and other harmful chemicals and totally safe for the user as well as being eco-friendly
Currently available sanitary pads contain nearly 90% plastic and chemicals including chlorine which can cause cervical cancer
Statistics estimate that it takes about 500 years for a sanitary pad to degrade. In India alone, around 9,000 tons of plastic waste is generated due to sanitary napkin waste (from over 400 million used and disposed of pads)

Biodegradable sanitary napkins have very less or no plastic at all and are now available to Indian women. These pads are free from toxins and chemicals and no added fragrance. These eco-friendly pads are being made in India, which are completely natural, free from plastic, safe and do not cause allergies, itching or infections.

Biodegradable Pads and Organic Jeans to Save the Environment
Make a conscious effort and change the dynamics of the depleting environment on World Environment Day.

‘Normal sanitary napkins have 90% plastic, whereas biodegradable napkins have very less or no plastic at all. These pads are free from toxins and chemicals and no added fragrance. They are safe for both women as well as environment-friendly, as they degrade much faster.’
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Facts About Sanitary Napkins That You Are Never Told

Sanitary napkins are a necessary part of life in menstruating girls and women in the reproductive age group. Consider these figures and decide if it is time to change to natural and organic sanitary pads.

On average, a woman uses between 7,000 and 17,000 sanitary napkins during her lifetime that translates to nearly 7 years of wearing sanitary pads.
Sanitary napkins contain chemicals that can irritate and harm the delicate skin around the vagina causing allergic reactions, rashes and itching and infections.
Many sanitary napkins even contain chlorine which can lead to cervical cancer
In addition, most popular sanitary napkins contain nearly 90% plastic making them non-biodegradable and polluting the environment

Bio Sanitary Pad and Beeswax Cloth Wrap Win the Sustainable Lifestyle Challenge
Biodegradable sanitary napkins and a beeswax cloth wrap were the two innovations that won the sustainable lifestyle challenge organized by the Embassy of Sweden.

Switch to Biodegradable Eco-friendly Sanitary Napkins

Of late many likeminded individuals and corporations have started to make biodegradable, natural, chemical and plastic free sanitary napkins for women looking for alternatives to synthetic pads that are safe for the women and environment-friendly as well.

Importantly, these individuals have succeeded in removing the stigma and shame associated with periods and the taboo associated with discussing menses and sanitary pads among young girls and women and making them aware of their right to a safe and trouble-free period and to take care of their bodies.

Free Sanitary Napkins for Tribal Women in India
Plans to distribute free affordable semi-biodegradable sanitary pads to tribal woman have been initiated by Pad woman Maya Vishwakarma.

Special Features & Merits of Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins

Very less plastic used, chlorine free and pH Compatible
High quality, porous non-plastic top layer
Free of chemicals and no allergies, itching or infections
No chemicals added to create the fragrance
Packed in biodegradable packing
Come with a convenient biodegradable bag for each pad

If you are looking to switch to biodegradable pads there is a fairly large list to choose from. Some of these include:

Heyday – Made of corn and bamboo, completely plastic free and eco-friendly
Carmesi – Made of cornstarch and bamboo. Makes customized napkins to fit the user
Natracare – Made from 100% cotton and cellulose
Sakhi – Made from pine wood paper, butter paper, silicon paper, non-woven paper and cotton. The pads degrade within a week of burying under mud. Cheapest of the lot at Rs. 5/- per pad
Nurture – Made from 100% cotton and contains silver ions to keep away bacteria
Vivanion – 3 in 1 sanitary pads with herbal, organic and contain anions. Dioxin-free and bio-degradable within one year
Saathi – Made from banana fiber and degrade by six months
Purganics – 100% natural and biodegradable and hypoallergenic
Laiqa – Natural and contain only 7% plastic
Reusable cloth pads – These cloth pads are made of soft cotton and microfiber and come in a variety of colors. They come with wash instructions and can be reused. On the flip side, they are rather expensive

Presently, most of the biodegradable sanitary pads are priced between 15-20 rupees per pad and may be out of reach for the average Indian woman. Hopefully, over time, these will be affordable and accessible to more women.

Sanitary Napkins to All Women in Rural Communities at Re1 Each Odisha
A step in the right direction towards women empowerment and gender neutrality. Odisha government introduces campaigns on sanitary hygiene for school girls and rural women.

Padman – The Indian Who Developed Affordable Safe Sanitary Pads for Rural Women

Sadly even today a majority of young girls and women belonging to the lower socioeconomic strata continue to use cloth napkins made from rags and reuse them after washing and have no access to clean sanitary pads and run a great risk of infections and inadequate protection from blood staining their clothes.

Padman, as he is referred to, is a man from Tamilnadu in South India, Arunachalam Muruganantham who invented a low-cost sanitary pad making machine to offer women in villages low cost safe and hygienic pads instead of using cloth rags and following unhygienic menstrual practices.

He was awarded the Padmashri for his efforts and his life has been made into a movie called Padman.

Summary

Biodegradable sanitary pads are safe to use and eco-friendly. Switch to biodegradable pads and contribute towards making the planet greener.

References:

Natural and Sustainable Raw Materials for Sanitary Napkin - (https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/natural-and-sustainable-raw-materials-for-sanitary-napkin-2165-8064-1000308.php?aid=93070)
Disposable pads, disposable lives - (https://www.earthandus.org/disposable-pads-disposable-lives/)
Are Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins The Solution For Plastic Pollution? Maybe Not - (http://www.earthamag.org/stories/2018/1/29/are-biodegradable-sanitary-napkins-the-solution-for-plastic-pollution-maybe-not)

Source-Medindia