Sanjana is a smart, working mother of two. Three years ago she read about cloth menstrual pads and was impressed with how easy to use they seemed to be. She had been having trouble with disposable napkins because she developed rashes every month. When she read more about the disposable pads, she also realised how she was contributing to environmental pollution by throwing out the plastic lined napkins wrapped up in another plastic covering. She has now switched completely to reusable cloth napkins to handle her monthly flow. She finds this comfortable, economic and most importantly, environmentally friendly.
What are cloth pads?
Before the advent of disposable sanitary napkins, women used cloth to handle menstrual flow. Strips of old cloth (quite often sarees) were fashioned into pads. These cloth pads were washed and reused month after month. There is a surge of ready-made cloth pads now, and they are much more comfortable and user-friendly than the homemade pads of yesteryear.
Why did women stop using cloth pads?
In the 1960s, disposable sanitary napkins were introduced in India. Over the next few decades, urban Indian women switched to them for the comfort and ease with which they could be used. However, disposal of these pads always posed a problem.
As disposable pads underwent more and more modifications to make them thinner and more absorbent, they have become a global environmental hazard.
Women are now switching back
Women’s co-operatives like EcoFemme are making soft cotton pads that have the same shape as disposables. They are as absorbent as disposables, and most importantly, are leak proof. Pretty and colourful, they come in various sizes for light and heavy days, and also for night use. They can be washed and reused for 3-5 years. Many shops and online shopping portals sell them, so they are easy to obtain.
The major advantage of cloth pads is that they are free from harmful chemicals. Many women find that they get rashes when they use plastic disposable napkins. This happens because the plastic on the outside creates a warm, moist, airless environment that, along with our natural sweating, promotes the growth of yeast and bacteria. Cloth pads are more porous and feel much more comfortable.
Can cloth pads promote infection?
Cloth pads, just like disposable ones, should be changed once they are soiled. Some women are worried that washing and reusing the pad would cause an infection. This is absolutely not true. There is no fear of infection just because they are being reused.
On the other hand, disposable pads pose an enormous health hazard to workers who have to handle them while collecting household and institutional garbage. There are many complaints from conservancy workers that they have to handle discarded, used napkins with their bare hands. Infections like Hepatitis B and C, and the AIDS causing HIV virus can be transmitted from menstrual blood to the person handling these waste products.
How easy are cloth pads to use?
Women who have switched to cloth pads swear by them. The initial cost may be more than disposable napkins but since they last from 3 to 5 years, they are much more economical in the long run. Since there are different sizes available, you can choose the one that suits your flow.
When the pad needs to be changed, it can be dropped into a small bucket of cold water. If you are a working woman, you can be roll it up and put into a waterproof pouch and leave it in your purse till you can actually wash it. Once the pad has been soaked in cold water for half an hour or more, it can be rinsed in the sink. After that the pads can be thrown into the washing machine with your clothes. Drying in sunlight ensures natural sterilisation and deodorisation. In rainy weather, they can be dried with a hair dryer.
Why are disposable sanitary napkins an environmental hazard?
Though only 12-15% of the menstruating population in India (approximately 42 million women) uses disposable sanitary pads, India disposes 432 million soiled pads every month. These pads will last over 500-800 years in landfills and water bodies since they are not biodegradable.
Disposable sanitary napkins have a high content of LDPE plastic polymers. To make the pads thin as well as extra absorbent, a layer of polyacrylate gel is added. The gel absorbs the flow and increases the ‘dry feel’ of the pad. Though advised not to, many women dispose off these pads by flushing them down the toilet. The polyacrylate soaks up water rapidly and continues to bloat as it makes its way through the underground sewage. These pads end up clogging sewers. One of the terrible outcomes is that conservancy workers have to go down into blocked sewers and remove these blood-laden pads by hand.
Come, join the cloth pad revolution and make the earth safer for your children!
