Burning, itching and discharge are the least of your worries when you use conventional intimate hygiene products. Have you ever wondered why products used during “those days” don’t list ingredients on their packaging? Why they smell strongly even though manufacturers don’t mention the harmful fragrance chemicals used in production? And finally – why are fragrances pumped into pads and tampons at all? Do corporations care about the comfort of the women using their products, or is there something else at play?
Once upon a time teens didn’t have many options for surviving their periods. Only pads and tampons were available. I know pads have their fans and their critics. The same goes for tampons.
There are a few leading manufacturers of pads and tampons on the market. I suspect those are the ones you most often reach for. But are they truly safe and can we use them without worry?
You probably think nothing toxic can be found in the cotton used to make pads and tampons. If so, you’re not alone. Many women believe pads and tampons are completely safe as long as they’re used correctly and that the only serious risk is Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). That’s a big mistake…
Production of pads and tampons harms more than just people
Pesticides, dioxins, dyes – these are the substances contained in popular pads and tampons. But how did they get there?
The answer is cotton, from which these hygiene items are made. Because it’s not organic, producers don’t prioritize keeping it free from the irritating chemicals used in agriculture. “Although cotton represents only 3% of global arable land, it consumes as much as 25% of all insecticides, herbicides, defoliants and synthetic fertilizers.” Source: [CLICK] All these chemicals can then be found in the pads and tampons we use.
Cotton production for hygiene products poses a serious threat not only to users, but also to the environment and plantation workers. “Conventional cotton farming can lead to soil depletion around fields, loss of regional biodiversity, water contamination, and land desertification.” Source: [CLICK] Cultivation of this crop also contributes to many illnesses among workers and nearby residents.
Synthetic silk obtained from cellulose—specifically wood pulp—is also used to make pads and tampons. To achieve the desired bright-white color, the pulp is repeatedly bleached with cheap, pure chlorine. This process releases dioxins, toxic carcinogenic substances. They weaken organisms and lead to infertility and irreversible fetal damage in animals. Manufacturers claim chlorine bleaching is necessary because cellulose pulp has a gray tint. Whiteness is associated with sterility for many of us, which may explain their pursuit of that shade. But it raises the question: since clothes bleached with chlorine degrade after a few washes, how does chlorinated cotton used in pads and tampons affect our bodies? The answer seems obvious…
Plastic leak layers hinder breathing!
In addition to the substances mentioned above, polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene—commonly called plastic—are used in pads and tampons. The soft, mesh-like cover of a tampon or pad is plastic. Despite the comfort it provides, combined with blood it creates an ideal breeding ground for Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus bacteria, which cause unpleasant odors as well as infections and allergies. They can also lead to life-threatening Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Glyphosate in cotton – safe or carcinogenic?
The name glyphosate may mean little to you, but most of you will recognize Roundup. “It is the trade name of a non-selective herbicide whose active ingredient is glyphosate, produced since 1974 by Monsanto.” Source: [CLICK] Roundup is available at various concentrations and is mainly used to kill weeds. It’s also used on cotton plantations. Because it dissolves in water and persists in the environment, it presents a serious threat to water bodies, aquatic organisms and farm animals.
We mention this substance because it has been in the spotlight recently. Research at the University of La Plata in Argentina found glyphosate not only in pads and tampons, but also in cotton swabs, gauze dressings and hygienic wipes. The lab found it in as many as 85% of tested GMO-cotton samples. Additionally, 62% of samples contained aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), a glyphosate metabolite that is reportedly up to 1,000 times more toxic than glyphosate itself.
Why is glyphosate so harmful? Studies showed it causes birth defects in frog and chicken embryos, including spinal cord and kidney damage, impaired brain development and skull deformities. Monsanto—the producer of Roundup—disagreed with these findings.
Toxicological research was also conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2011 it published a report classifying Roundup as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” A representative of the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) also stated it may cause fatty liver disease. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), an advisory body to the European Commission, reached a different conclusion, declaring it safe and not a cause for concern.
Because opinions were divided, the European Commission asked the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for a final assessment of Roundup’s harm. It also issued a temporary approval for the herbicide until the end of 2017, despite clear objections from some member states. Meanwhile, it emerged that “8 of 24 companies seeking approvals, including Monsanto, provided glyphosate specifications not supported by toxicological assessment. In other words, the submitted data related to substances different from those the companies intended to market.” Source: [CLICK] Without these revelations, the European Commission would have renewed the expired glyphosate authorization from July 2016 for another 15 years.
In March this year the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) acknowledged that glyphosate is harmful to the eyes and long-term harmful to aquatic life, but found insufficient scientific evidence to classify it as carcinogenic. The decision was made even though ECHA had time to study the issue until the end of the year. Fortunately, as of January 25, 38 European health and environmental organizations (including Greenpeace) began collecting signatures for a citizens’ initiative to ban glyphosate. “EU health and environmental organizations are calling for a special committee to investigate whether glyphosate producers manipulated reports on its harmfulness. This followed the so-called Monsanto Papers scandal, when in March a U.S. federal judge revealed the company’s internal correspondence and emails exchanged with government officials. Documents suggested the firm hired ghostwriters to draft a scientific report on glyphosate’s health risks, later signed only by independent scientists.” Source: [CLICK]
EU organizations have one year to gather at least 1 million signatures supporting the initiative. To complicate matters, signatures must come from residents of at least seven of the 28 EU countries. The absurdity continues… The EU clearly has a problem, while in California glyphosate has been listed as a carcinogen since July 7. Monsanto, of course, disagrees and plans to appeal. “A new toxicologist report by Dr. Peter Clausing revealed that EU authorities violated their own rules and dismissed evidence that glyphosate is carcinogenic, in order to conclude that the chemical does not cause cancer.” Source: [CLICK]
Harmful fragrances in pads and tampons. Why are they added?
It might seem producers add fragrances to pads and tampons to give them a pleasant smell. In reality they do it to mask the odor of all the chemical substances used in cotton production. These chemicals can also irritate mucous membranes and cause burns, sensitivities and allergies. The mucosa is very delicate and semi-permeable, so toxins used in tampon and pad production easily penetrate into our bodies. Hygiene products are perfumed for another important reason: to “hide” bacteria that settle on them during packaging. Contrary to common belief, pads and tampons are not sterile. Manufacturers don’t disinfect them because that could impair their absorbency.
The worst part is that manufacturers are not required to disclose on packaging what type of cotton was used or which chemicals sprayed the product. We hope this will change. For now, appropriate legal regulations to curb unfair practices by corporations are still lacking. Then again—if they were suddenly forced to disclose, they might not tell the truth, as with the Monsanto example mentioned earlier.
Eco alternatives to traditional intimate hygiene products
After learning the facts about the harms of conventional hygiene items, it’s good to know there are alternatives to classic pads and tampons. These include:
- Pads and tampons made from organic cotton
- Reusable pads and tampons
- Menstrual cups
- Menstrual sponges
Based on an article from https://toksycznakosmetyczka.blogspot.com/
