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Sustainable menstruation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sustainable menstruation refers to the use of environmentally-friendly and responsible menstrual products.[1]

It is estimated that the average woman will bleed for an average of 40 years which can amount to upwards of 200 kg of menstrual product waste a year. To combat this environmental challenge, advocates of sustainable menstruation promote the use of reusable products such as cloth menstrual pads, menstrual cups and period underwear, and also sustainably-produced biodegradable disposable products.[2] Such practices reduce the waste created by disposable products (tampons and pads) made of non-biodegradable materials.[3][4]

There is some concern that by focusing on menstruation as a focus in discussions in waste, it further stigmatizes menstruation by blaming women for problems they didn't create. In India, 6% of non-biodegradable waste is created by hygiene products including menstruation products, wipes and diapers.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Let's talk about sustainable menstruation". The Times of India. Retrieved 2019-01-19.
  2. ^ "Ultimate Guide to a Sustainable Period". Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  3. ^ Mehrotra, Ayesha (29 April 2018). "Sustainable Menstruation- The Impact of Menstrual Products on the Environment". Medium.com. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Green the red: Indian city breaks taboos for "sustainable..." Reuters. 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  5. ^ Bobel, Chris (2018-10-19). The Managed Body: Developing Girls and Menstrual Health in the Global South. Springer. ISBN 9783319894140.