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Using a Menstrual Cup Stops These Chemicals from Hurting Our Planet. You knew using a menstrual cup helped the environment, but did you know that your choice to use a cup actually prevents certain toxic chemicals from hurting our planet? It’s a pretty powerful benefit of a choice you can make for your personal care.

Unfortunately, conventional tampons and pads are made out of non-organic cotton, synthetic fibers, and plastics that are made using harmful chemicals. Using products that contain these toxins not only contributes to environmental pollution, but also harms our own bodies.

By investing in a menstrual cup for your period, you help stop the following chemicals from hurting our ecosystems.

Dioxin

Dioxin is a chemical that’s produced in the manufacturing of non-biodegradable tampons, which means that trace amounts exist in these common feminine hygiene products. Dioxin is produced when chlorine bleach is used to whiten the fibers used in tampons and pads. However, even products that have been whitened with chlorine-free bleach and other whitening methods have been shown to contain trace amounts of dioxin . Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says there is no safe level of dioxin to be exposed to.

Bisphenol A (BPA)

BPA is a chemical that’s commonly found in conventional pads but is also in some tampon applicators. BPA has been associated with infertility in both men and women. Due to its hormonal effects on the body, BPA has been linked to hormone-sensitive cancers such as and breast and prostate cancer [4].

Menstrual cups are BPA-free and your choice to use a cup helps prevent BPA from harming our bodies and ending up in the environment, where it can mimic the hormones of animals and therefore disrupt the endocrine system as it breaks down . Although BPA continues to be used in plastics in some countries, fortunately, many organizations are becoming increasingly aware of BPA’s effects on all life and acting accordingly.

Fragrance

The term “fragrance” constitutes an umbrella term for 4,000 different chemicals. While some of these chemicals are naturally derived (such as those from essential oils), others are synthetic and have been shown to be toxic. Both tampons and pads can be scented with chemicals that are protected from full disclosure under the term “fragrance”. When you purchase scented tampons or pads, you’re putting such toxins near your sensitive reproductive organs.

The problem with fragrance is that the actual ingredients in the fragrance aren’t required to be disclosed on the label of the product, so you can never be sure which chemicals you’re getting. Manufacturers are protected from revealing these chemicals, under the premise that they’re considered proprietary information. Unfortunately, the chemicals found in fragrance have been linked to everything from skin irritation to infertility to cancer ?

Glyphosate

Glyphosate is an herbicide that’s been shown to be toxic to humans. Since most of the world’s cotton today is genetically modified, synthetic chemicals such as glyphosate are used in its production. When you buy tampons or pads made with non-organic cotton, there’s a good chance you’re getting products that are contaminated with glyphosate.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recognizes glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen . While research is still ongoing about the effects of the widely-used herbicide glyphosate, current evidence shows this chemical can’t be good for our overall health.

By using a menstrual cup, you can avoid exposing your reproductive organs to this dangerous toxin. Menstrual cups use medical-grade silicone which has been shown to be safe for the body.

How Switching to the Cup Helps

Switching to a menstrual cup not only helps keep these harmful chemicals out of our ecosystems, but also keeps them out of your body. It’s hard to dispute the toxicity of these chemicals that have the potential to affect all life they come into contact with. Some experts speculate that the effects of chemicals such as BPA can last for generations.

We can all do more to keep our planet healthy and stop the harm that comes from manufacturing subpar products that ultimately harm us. Consider switching to a menstrual cup to keep these toxic chemicals out of our reproductive systems and out of our earth!

Sources:

 

1. http://www.center4research.org/tampon-safety/ 

2. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dioxins-and-their-effects-on-human-health 

3. http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/nosafedose.pdf 

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25813067 

5. http://apps.sepa.org.uk/spripa/Pages/SubstanceInformation.aspx?pid=131 

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24162092               

7. https://theheartysoul.com/why-fragrance-is-the-new-secondhand-smoke/ 

8. https://detoxproject.org/argentinian-study-tampons-sanitary-pads-and-sterile-gauze-contaminated-with-probable-carcinogen-glyphosate/ 

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27552246 

10. https://www.scirp.org/Journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=83267 

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