Expat Life in Thailand
  • Home
  • Food / Drink
    • Food and Drink Thailand
    • Food and Drink Bangkok
    • Food and Drink Pattaya
    • Food and Drink Hua Hin
    • Food and Drink Chiang Mai
  • Health / Beauty
  • Education
  • Travel / Leisure
    • Book Reviews
    • Activities and Adventure
    • Hotels and accommodation
    • Art and Culture
    • Lifestyle
  • Online Magazines
Expat Life in Thailand
Banner
  • Home
  • Food / Drink
    • Food and Drink Thailand
    • Food and Drink Bangkok
    • Food and Drink Pattaya
    • Food and Drink Hua Hin
    • Food and Drink Chiang Mai
  • Health / Beauty
  • Education
  • Travel / Leisure
    • Book Reviews
    • Activities and Adventure
    • Hotels and accommodation
    • Art and Culture
    • Lifestyle
  • Online Magazines

Plastic free menstruation

by Aparna Sharma December 2, 2020
written by Aparna Sharma December 2, 2020

Let’s talk about plastic in the menstrual products we have been buying for so many years. You might be thinking that you read that wrong, we knew plastic is in our clothes and food but now we are learning that plastic is in our menstrual products. Gosh!! Why would anybody knowingly sell products that are damaging to our personal hygiene and to the planet. The answer to that will require another article on what corporate greed is doing to humanity and why we need to become more mindful consumers and start ensuring that there is traceability in the products we buy.

Coming back to our monthly red flow visits, did you know that most commercial pads available in the market have synthetic materials including plastics, adhesives, artificial fragrances, toxic chemicals like phthalates, dioxins and petrochemical additives. Some pads also contain chloroform which  is a carcinogen and acetone. Yuk!! When I started understanding how damaging commercial pads are to personal hygiene and the thought of millions of non biodegradable pads lying in landfills on Gods green earth literally made me have a meltdown. I was under the assumption that all pads are biodegradable. Furthermore, the average woman will use 15,000 disposable menstrual pads in her lifetime and it apparently takes more than 100 years for these pads to biodegrade. Luckily, there are various options available for eco conscious consumers today to ditch the synthetic pads and move towards plastic free menstruation.

When exploring safer plastic free alternatives, here are some things to consider.

Are the materials used biodegradable and safe

Is the packaging eco friendly

In my opinion as a writer who focuses on climate change issues, I constantly meet brands working towards creating products which mitigate climate change. I have learnt a few important things that I would like to share. The healthiest option for you and the planet will be pads made from organic and toxin free materials which have minimal packaging and are not single use. The use and throw culture has got to change so the best option is a menstrual cup, reusable pads and reusable underwear. All of these options prevent tons of plastic waste. Reusable pads and underwear are usually made from organic cotton and they are so much softer than the plastic pads. They also come in various sizes depending on your need. Menstrual cups made from silicone or rubber are gaining traction as an eco alternative to conventional tampons and I personally recommend this option because I find it extremely convenient. I made the switch more than a year back and it is one of the best decisions I have made towards a more conscious and mindful lifestyle.

These options might not suit everyone, if you are someone who chooses to use disposable pads, the best option is to find brands which are making non plastic biodegradable pads. Fortunately, there are a few companies making pads from coconut fibre, banana fibre, bamboo fibre etc. which are 100% biodegradable. I have not personally come across any in Thailand but there are a few in India. I worked on a small project with an organisation in India which is educating women on the importance of plastic free menstruation. I learnt about a few different biodegradable pads which are safe for human use from them. I was very impressed to see the work the organisation is doing at the grass root level to educate women and to eradicate plastic from menstrual products.

Have you already started your journey towards plastic free menstruation? What are the issues which are holding you back? I would love to hear from you and answer your questions. For more queries, kindly get in touch with me @[email protected] and I will answer all your questions and hopefully we can all collectively ensure that we can eradicate plastic from menstrual products and move towards a plastic free menstruation.

Did you like this article? Become a Patron and help us bring you great content in the future!
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Aparna Sharma

Aparna Sharma is an Indian expat living in Bangkok. She loves travel, yoga and fashion. She has a deep-rooted love for her country, India and loves travelling to small arts and craft communities across India. She sources fabric directly from the weavers and designs her own clothes. She has her own travel and style blog. Instagram: Stylishsuitcase Email: [email protected] Website: www.stylishsuitcase.com

previous post
10 habits I blame for sabotage weight loss
next post
Rituals and traditions in Fiji Tabua and more

Thai massage times

April 14, 2021

Bird’s Nest: caviar of the East

April 6, 2021

The golden age of rehabilitation

April 6, 2021

The magical work of a Perfumer: Behind the...

April 2, 2021

April-May 2021 Issue

Primary Banner

Promotion Image
Promotion Image
Promotion Image

EXPAT LIFE IN THAILAND FACEBOOK

Facebook

EXPAT LIFE IN THAILAND INSTAGRAM

Categories

  • Breast Cancer (2)
  • Education (271)
  • Expat Life (57)
  • Fashion (48)
  • Fiction (7)
  • Food and Drink (113)
  • Green (20)
  • Health and Beauty (296)
  • Interview (17)
  • Jobs & Internships (11)
  • Lifestyle (314)
  • Love and Relationship (92)
    • Family (59)
  • Magazine (16)
  • News and Event (549)
    • Updates (108)
  • NGO (25)
  • Poem (5)
  • Travel and Leisure (580)
    • Activities and Adventure (100)
    • Art and Culture (132)
    • Book Reviews (25)
    • Hotels and accommodation (76)
  • Uncategorised (63)
  • Women's Group (6)

Copyright @ 2021 - ExpatLife in Thailand Magazine | All Rights Reserved

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in articles posted on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Expat Life in Thailand magazine. Links to other web sites do not imply an endorsement of the materials disseminated at those websites, nor does the existence of a link to another site imply that the organisation or person publishing at that site endorses any of the materials at this site.