7,296 plastic bags of waste per person generated by non-organic period products

Research from Yoppie, the pioneers of personalised, organic period care delivered through your letterbox, has revealed the staggering amount of plastic waste that results from the use of non-organic period care products each and every year.

Yoppie is on a mission to reduce the plastic waste created through period care products using 100% certified organic cotton products that are eco-friendly, biodegradable and ethically manufactured.

Yoppie’s research shows that the average pack of non-organic sanitary pads contains 2.4g of plastic per pad and a further 2.5g within the packaging itself. That’s the equivalent of five plastic bags for every pack of sanitary pads.

With the average woman using around 30 pads per cycle, that’s 72g of plastic based on the pads alone.

Over their lifetime, a woman will have approximately 456 period cycles and in one year alone will generate 864g of plastic waste, climbing to a huge 32.8kgs during a lifetime of use.

The average plastic bag weighs 4.5 grams, meaning the average woman will generate the equivalent of 192 plastic bags in plastic waste in one year using non-organic sanitary pads. A lifetime of use will see a whopping 7,296 plastic bags worth of plastic waste generated by using non-organic sanitary pads.

However, it isn’t just the environment that non-organic products can harm, many also contain potentially harmful chemicals that can be bad for our bodies.

Non-organic tampons alone can potentially contain carbon disulfide, toluene and m,p-Xylene which are reproductive toxicants. Methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate and heptane which can cause irritation. Hexane which is a neurotoxin, as well as methylene chloride which is carcinogenic.

Many non-organic tampons have also been bleached with chlorine to get their perfect white appearance, as well as the cotton being sprayed with pesticides and artificial fragrances and attached to their string using glue. Of course, many tampons also come with a plastic applicator and packaging which also adds to plastic waste.

Non-organic pads also contain harmful chemicals and hazardous ingredients which can include dioxins and furans, pesticide residues, unknown fragrance chemicals, and also adhesive chemicals such as methyldibromo glutaronitrile. All of which brings risks of cancer, reproductive harm and even allergic reactions.

Founder of Yoppie, Daniella Peri, commented:

“January can be a tough time for all of us, particularly given the current backdrop of Covid and yet another national lockdown. However, if there’s one thing we would urge women not to neglect, it’s the quality of their period care.

So much plastic waste is generated due to the use of non-organic products largely due to the fact they’re seen as the most convenient option and are often the cheapest products on the shelf.

However, by making a very small change and opting for organic period products, we can make a considerable difference where our personal level of plastic waste is concerned. Not only does it help the environment, but it’s also good for our bodies which is another positive change to kick off 2021 with.”