Knowing your impact on the environment: Reusable vs disposable period products
Lucy MeacherIn the UK, more than 4.3 billion disposable period products (tampons, pads, applicators, wrappers) are used and disposed of every year.
In the UK, up to 2 billion disposable period products are flushed down the loo every year.
Around the world, an estimated 200,000 tonnes of period products are disposed of every year.
One million sea life creatures - seabirds, fish, turtles, and mammals - die each year due to plastic and chemicals contained in period products
Staggering, right?
These period products that are thrown away either go to landfill, get incinerated, or are flushed down the loo and are washed up on our beaches, both having a detrimental effect on our planet and its wildlife.
We believe that there is no better time to clean up our act and cut down our impact on our planet. You're right, periods are unavoidable, but it doesn't mean they should have such a harmful and destructive impact on our environment and wildlife.
So why should I use a period cup?
The average person who menstruates uses 11,000 disposable period products in their lifetime. They aren't recyclable and can contain plastics and chemicals, so each and every one of those products contribute to our impact on our planet, whether they are incinerated, or washed up on our beaches.
This is why it's so important to make that switch to reusable options, such as period cups! Made from medical grade silicone, period cups are designed to last up to 10 years.
For every person that switches to a period, around 286 disposable products are saved per year, that's 2,860 over 10 years!
Sometimes the switch to period cups can be a little daunting or worrying for those who have never used them before, and that's okay. Have no fear - we provide advice, guidance, and tips and tricks for beginners, such as info on how to clean your cup, how to insert and remove your cup, and all the key benefits of using cups!