Sustainability is a buzzword, a hot topic, and not without reason. The linear thinking of the past century is backfiring in many ways: climate change, resource shortages, and waste problems are demanding more and more attention.
Today, we discuss sustainability related to women, the common problem points, and why we need to care about it.
Hormone Focus was born from two roots: hormonal health and sustainability. These two are highly correlated. Why?
As women, we have our infradian cycle (a fancy name for our approximately 28-day cycle) where the ovulation, not menstruation, is the midpoint. However, when the cycle is mentioned, it is often referred to as the "menstrual cycle" because the period is the most visible part of it.
All resources used for this blog post are listed at the end. Sustainability and menstrual products are well-researched fields, and recently, there has been more research on not just the side effects but also the environmental effects of hormonal contraceptives.
The issue is not menstruation itself but the menstrual products we use. Single-use plastic products, including pads and tampons, significantly contribute to plastic waste in the oceans. Studies estimate that there are over 5 trillion plastic pieces weighing more than 250,000 tons floating in the world’s oceans, and the production of single-use menstrual products emits around 245,000 tons of CO₂ annually.
On average, a woman uses around 200 to 300 disposable menstrual products per year, resulting in approximately 2.5 to 3.5 kg of waste per woman annually. If every woman of reproductive age in 2024 uses single-use menstrual products, we are creating 1.34 billion kg of waste by the end of one calendar year. This waste is problematic as the plastic cannot be recycled and is often categorized as hazardous waste. These products are not biodegradable and can linger for hundreds of years.
On the health side, single-use menstrual products often contain PFAS ("forever chemicals"), which can accumulate in the body and cause reproductive issues, hormonal disruptions, and even cancer. Many pads and tampons also contain fragrances that disrupt the vaginal pH balance, leading to irritation and infections. Additionally, most are made with bleached materials, introducing dioxins, toxic compounds linked to immune system damage and reproductive disorders.
Our bodies absorb materials through our skin. When we use plastic, fragrance, and bleach around our moist and sensitive tissue, these materials get into our system more than we might think.
Studies underline the benefits of switching to reusable menstrual products: reducing plastic waste and chemical pollution, lowering carbon footprints, and supporting material and cost-effectiveness. Using reusable menstrual products from safe materials (natural fiber or medical-grade silicone) lowers health risks and personal waste production.
Fortunately, not everyone uses single-use menstrual products, and sustainable alternatives are becoming more popular. Today, we can choose from a variety of reusable menstrual products:
The issue with hormonal contraceptives can be summarized based on studies: synthetic estrogen from hormonal contraceptives is excreted through urine and ends up in wastewater, entering rivers, lakes, and other natural water bodies. In nature, it negatively impacts marine life and ecosystems, changing mating behaviors in some species.
Studies highlight the links between synthetic estrogen pollution and human health risks, such as endocrine system problems and cancer. This field is not well-studied, but visible links and more research focus on the long-term health effects on humans of free-floating synthetic estrogen in our waters.
The use of hormonal contraceptives is complex, with multiple reasons to use or not use them. The historical impact on society is significant, providing women the freedom to choose if they want to become pregnant. However, there is evidence of hormonal contraception being prescribed for non-contraceptive reasons like acne or irregular periods.
Sustainability is crucial for both the health of nature and humans. The mindset is shifting from linear thinking ("I just take the pill" or "I just use a product") to systems thinking ("where do the materials come from and where will they go after use?").
Choosing reusable menstrual products is trendy, and now we have menstrual discs alongside menstrual cups. Pads and panties are also becoming more popular.
For sustainable birth control, we have alternatives that allow freedom of decision without synthetic hormones. Why might a hormone-free alternative be a better choice for contraception?
You have an impact on our planet, and it's encouraging to see more women making conscious choices.
1, van Eijk , Jayasinghe, Garazi,Mason, Sivakami, Unger, Phillips-Howard: Exploring menstrual products: Asystematic review and meta-analysis of reusable menstrual pads for publichealth internationally. Plos One 24.09.2021. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0257610
2, Snekkevik, Chakravorty, Falk-Andersson,Fürst: Tackling plastic pollution at the source through ecofriendlymenstruation products; Scientists’ Coalition; 16.10.2023.
https://ikhapp.org/stories-and-research-brief/tackling-plastic-pollution-at-the-source-through-ecofriendly-menstruation-products/original research: https://niva.brage.unit.no/niva-xmlui/handle/11250/3050789
3, Clowes: What Are the Environmental Impacts of Hormonal Birth Control? Human Life International; Updated: 04.06.2021 https://www.hli.org/resources/what-are-the-environmental-impacts-of-hormonal-birth-control/
4, Europe SustainableDevelopment Report 2021 https://www.sustainabledevelopment.report/reports/europe-sustainable-development-report-2021/
5, Solanki: The future ofperiods can now be sustainable and cheap. The conversation,25.06.2020. https://theconversation.com/the-future-of-periods-can-now-be-sustainable-and-cheap-133025
6, Ramsay, Hennegan, Douglass,Eddy, Head & Lim: Reusable period products: use and perceptions amongyoung people in Victoria, Australia. BMC Women’s Health, 11.03.2023.
https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-023-02197-3
7, Samantha Lock: Toxic PFAS found in menstrual pads sold by Carefree and other brands. The Guardian, 2.11.2024
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/02/toxic-pfas-menstrual-pads-carefree-edgewell?
