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In the awareness of menstruation and menstrual hygiene, while people are recognising the importance of low-cost options, most are still unaware of the environmental costs of plastic-based napkins. We are piling up landfills, while continuing the adverse health affects. 1/n
Sanitary options in India have come a long way, and we are still not at the ideal place.
1. Women have been using cloth since the beginning; old sarees, dhotis & bedsheets were cleaned and kept aside
a For some, these were disposable
b For others, these were resuable 2/n
1. Women have been using cloth since the beginning; old sarees, dhotis & bedsheets were cleaned and kept aside
a For some, these were disposable
b For others, these were resuable 2/n
1a Those who preferred disposable needed a continuous supply of cloth, not always practical.
1b Those reusing had to clean the used cloth right. Shame and taboo made women dry such cloth away from the public eye, away from sun and air, lending those unhealthy. 3/n
1b Those reusing had to clean the used cloth right. Shame and taboo made women dry such cloth away from the public eye, away from sun and air, lending those unhealthy. 3/n
2. Plastic-based sanitary napkins and tampons made their way as the convenient and "healthier" alternative. With convenience being the primary decisive factor, we ignored health effects and environmental concerns completely. 4/n
3. Then came three concerns. The current options:
a. Were UNAFFORDABLE or UNKNOWN to many women who continued to fall ill using unclean, unhygienic cloth
b. Continued to be an UNHEALTHY choice with its 70% plastic content
c. Were NON-BIODEGRADABLE, piling up on landfills 5/n
a. Were UNAFFORDABLE or UNKNOWN to many women who continued to fall ill using unclean, unhygienic cloth
b. Continued to be an UNHEALTHY choice with its 70% plastic content
c. Were NON-BIODEGRADABLE, piling up on landfills 5/n
4. Smart, compassionate people offered or invented options to deal with the concerns. The likes of @aakarinnovation (Anandi Pads) created bio-degradable, economic options. The likes of @boondhcup offer the eco-friendly, health-friendly, one-time investment #mesntrualcups 6/n
4 (contd). The likes of @ecofemme_india have revived the usefulness of hygienic cloth pads while providing livelihood to many women. The likes of Jayashree Industries (#Padman #Muruganantham) are empowering women with low-cost pad-making machines. 7/n
The intent behind reducing pad costs is to ensure the lives of India's girls and women are not interrupted. 20% school-going girls drop out once they reach puberty. Women continue to suffer ill-health because of taboo and poor hygiene. 8/n
Popular media has begun to remove the taboo associated with menstruation. #Padman movie & its marketing had people posting photos with the pad. Akshay Kumar is peddling the benefits of the pad to the unaware. That narrative has begun to normalise conversations around periods. 9/n
There is one problem even in this aware narrative: it is not aware enough. While poor hygiene and costs have to be addressed, one thing we are failing to bring into the narrative is the cost to the environment. Non-biodegradable pads, however affordable, are not the solution 10/n
The solution lies in ECONOMIC, BIO-DEGRADABLE, REUSABLE methods. Plastic-based pads, however low-cost, are a threat to women's health as well as the environment. Each person adds 125 kgs of waste to the ever-rising landfills. It is time we speak about this when we talk periods.
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