PERIOD POVERTY

In these past weeks I have been educating and telling people, friends, WOMEN about reusable and sustainable products including; period products.

• one single women can create around 16,000 tonnes of period waste destined for landfill sites

• Over 300,000 tonnes of period waste is thrown into landfillPERYEAR

• Tampons can leave microfibres and micro cuts inside the vaginal passage which can cause irritation, infections including STI and other unhealthy and irritating issues with your fanny

• Mooncups are the most used reusable period product as it is the most durable, comfortable and a long lasting product made from medical grade silicon

Moon cups can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time, it creates a small suction inside the vagina (under the cervix) to dismiss any leaking or discomfort.

Many women are put off by the price and idea behind them.

Prices vary from £2.50 (yes that’s how much mine cost from amazon) to £30 there are two sizes- A, Under 25/not given birth. B, over 25/given birth. If you calculate on average £10 per cycle x 12 months =£120x 40 years = £4,800 compared to £2.50-£30 for 10YEARS.That is extraordinary for not only your bank account but the environmentalimpact is substantial.

Hundreds of women experience period poverty for both long and short periods of time, if reusable products were educated and provided in food banks, job centres and schools could bring down the number that miss School/Work and give them a sense of pride and dignity during an already horrid time of the month. Many women use socks or even REUSE old tampons and pads which can cause so many problems I can’t even name.

This topic is so taboo and frowned upon by the media but we need to break that stigma and talk openly about the disgrace of the tampon tax and pink premium in society.