Eleven thousand chemical laden tampons?

Ever wondered just how many tampons or sanitary pads a woman flushes away in her lifetime?
Does 11 000 sound possible or even probable?

What do these products do to the environment plus to our bodies?
Not sure, was my answer.

What goes into these intimate products we as women use during our reproductive years?

• Up to 90% plastic - bad for the environment as well as the skin as it cannot breathe, making it the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
• Fragrance and dyes causes skin irritation.
• Chlorine creates the harmful by-product Dioxin which disrupts hormones and can lead to cancer, causes reproductive and developmental problems and damages the immune system. Dioxin is one of the POPs Persistent Organic Pollutants which can remain in the environment for many many years.

Hearing all of this makes me really uncomfortable knowing THAT was probably the cause of many discomforts over the years - I certainly would not like to be putting all kinds of harmful chemicals inside my body - pesticides, chlorine, fragrance and bleaches; yet we do this month after month without even blinking twice.

We scrutinise food ingredients lists, but have we ever given a thought to scrutinising what goes into our tampons?

What to look for

• Rayon
• Dioxin
• Non-organic cotton
• Fragrance
• Chlorine
• BPA

When choosing tampons, look out that they're made with certified organic cotton, free from pesticides. It may say 100% cotton, but cotton is the world's most heavily sprayed crop!
Edit to my post
After reading comments from @artemislives and @juliakponsford; the menstrual cup or mooncup is way more eco-friendly.

We all know that Toxic Shock Syndrome can be fatal and it’s not just from leaving tampons in too long. Synthetic additives makes tampons more absorbent which increases the risk of toxic shock syndrome.

Having said goodbye to the monthly curse many moons ago following surgery, I never gave any of the above a second thought when I was using them; how ignorant was I!

After receiving these sample products from a fabulous organic and eco-friendly online store, I wondered just how many of us are being hoodwinked by the big industries.

So I remembered reading a real funny letter a long time ago; it's written by a very cheesed-off lady to the brand manager of Proctor & Gamble. It was shared on the site McSweenys where it sits with many other

letters written to people or entities who are unlikely to respond.
Credit

Dear Mr. Thatcher,
I have been a loyal user of your Always maxi pads for over 20 years, and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core™ or Dri-Weave™ absorbency, I’d probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I’d certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can’t tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there’s a little F-16 in my pants.
Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from “the curse”? I’m guessing you haven’t. Well, my “time of the month” is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I’ll be transformed into what my husband likes to call “an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.” Isn’t the human body amazing?
As brand manager in the feminine-hygiene division, you’ve no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers’ monthly visits from Aunt Flo. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it’s a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend’s testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey’s Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy! The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in capri pants. Which brings me to the reason for my letter.
Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: “Have a Happy Period.”
Are you fncking kidding me?
What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness—actual smiling, laughing happiness—is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you’re some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything “happy” about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlúa and lock yourself in your house just so you don’t march down to the local Walgreens armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory. For the love of God, pull your head out, man. If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn’t it make more sense to say something that’s actually pertinent, like “Put Down the Hammer” or “Vehicular Manslaughter Is Wrong”? Or are you just picking on us?
Sir, please inform your accounting department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flexi-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bullshit. And that’s a promise I will keep. Always.
Best,
Wendi Aarons, Austin, TX

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