Till yesterday, I was using the sanitary napkins on my period. I came to know about Ruby Cups when our youth pop-up volunteers organized the session on “Eco-Friendly Ruby Cups” in Youth-Friendly Marie Stopes Putalisadak. The session was facilitated by Ms. Linda from Putali Nepal.
To get more information on sanitary napkins, I searched it in google and found very interesting blog which helped me to understand the commercial menstrual products that I have been using and its relation to environmental pollution. The blog says:
Commercially made non reusable sanitary napkins are expensive in Nepal. Even more terrified to hear “You are reason for environmental degradation and deforestation” unless I knew that commercial sanitary napkins are made up of paper and plastic. The average women use approximately 15,000 pads over the course of her lifetime. The commercial sanitary pads contain chemicals like DIOXIN in high quantity which cause any health problems and dioxin appears to migrate easily out of paper products. Since these pads are indisposed we throw them near any water source. Fish and other wildlife have died after exposure to the incredibly small dose of dioxin. This shows we are harming not only ourselves but also reducing forest and other living being.
Shocking news is the commercial sanitary pads are bleached again and again using chlorine, may take place to achieve that growing white look. Even more chemicals perfume to give it good smell. The plastic bottom to prevent leakage again cannot be disposed. The back has sensitive adhesive and packet itself printed with patterns using chemical process.
The chemicals used in sanitary pads, tampons and diapers have raised concerns throughout the world. This is due to the questions about the safety of using many of the commercially available products that have been manufactured in a process that uses chemicals as well as the environmental issues of disposing of them. Because of potential risk factors, some women have opted for organic sanitary pads as an alternative and others have decided to use reusable sanitary pads.
Let’s put like this: Environmental harm + resource waste + unnecessary cost + women’s Health comprised = One serious problem.
I realized that we can actually take care of our planet- Earth. If you want to be Rock-Keti like me, switch to Ruby Cup today.