Cup of convenience

Toshaani Goel

ALMOST all human activities generate carbon footprint, contribute to environmental pollution and the problem of ever-rising landfills. Disposal of menstrual products waste contributes significantly to this crisis.

Today, sanitary napkins contribute to 45 per cent of the total menstrual waste disposed every year. According to the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India (MHAI) estimates, 36 per cent of 336 million menstruating women in India use disposable sanitary napkins. This means at least 121 million women dispose around eight napkins per menstrual cycle, adding 12.3 billion disposable sanitary napkins to the landfills annually. Most of these are not biodegradable/ compostable and would take at least 500-800 years to decompose.

While sanitary napkins or pads are for external use, many women use tampons that are used internally. Women in rural areas or from EWS section usually use cloth pads.

Each of these options are associated with some problems. It is difficult to ensure proper hygiene with cloth. Tampons and sanitary napkins can be a costly affair and have challenges of being non-biodegradable. There is a rising concern about the increasing burden of menstrual waste in the environment with an average woman throwing away nearly 150 kg of pads or tampons in her life time. This has led to increased focus on biodegradable pads and more sustainable environment friendly products like reusable sanitary pads and menstrual cups.

A menstrual cup is a viable cost-effective option. It is hygienic, reusable product with minimal impact on environment. It is a small, flexible funnel-shaped cup made of rubber or silicone that is inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual fluid. Once inside it seals the tract to avoid spillage. It can be easily removed, drained and reinserted whenever one uses a washroom or up to 8-10 hours depending on the flow. Since the material is inert and non-absorbent, it does not soak any menstrual blood and is easily washable with soap and water. A regular menstrual cup costs Rs300-400 and has a life span of four to five years. It is being used internationally as a safe option for menstrual hygiene. Women can start using it with a little bit of guidance from a health care worker.

Pros and cons of menstrual cups 

• One can wear a menstrual cup for up to 12 hours before it needs to be emptied. 
• Unlike tampons, menstrual cups don’t dry the vagina. This preserves the healthy bacteria that protects from vaginal infections. Use of these cups can prevent toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a rare, life-threatening condition linked to tampon use.
• These cups don’t contain chemicals found in tampons and pads, such as bleach and dioxin. Some dioxins are known to cause cancer in humans.
• These cups are hygienic, reusable products with minimal impact on environment.
• First time users may have difficulty insertion. And, if you have an IUD in place, using a cup could pull the IUD strings and dislodge it. 
• Most users find removal problematic and messy.