Menstrual cups, the eco – friendly and sustainable period partner.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated on May 28. Several NGOs have recently been interested in increasing awareness and assisting women in managing their periods with dignity by providing menstruation cups. Most Indian women prefer sanitary pads to menstruation cups. According to the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India (MHAI), some 121 million Indian women and adolescent girls use disposable sanitary napkins.
Unlike cloth, sanitary pads, and tampons, which absorb blood, a menstrual cup is a flexible cup made of medical-grade silicone or rubber that sits in the vagina and collects blood. Some cups are reusable and long-lasting, while others are disposable. In major locations, these cups are available from a number of startups and online shops.
The use of a menstrual cup is increasingly popular among college students and working people. According to Dr. Gayathri Kamath, they are more likely to use it after hearing about it via peers, the internet, or coworkers. Menstrual cups are not only environmentally beneficial, but also sustainable. They are less harmful to the environment than sanitary napkins or tampons. It may not, however, be appropriate for all age groups. Dr. Gayathri Kamath, Obstetrics and Gynecology at Fortis Hospital in Bangalore, says that young girls who have just started menstruating despise the procedure of using it. “It’s possible that young unmarried rural girls are uncomfortable with the idea of using a tampon or a cup.
According to a research published in the Lancet, there are 199 different brands of menstruation cups available in 99 different countries, but there is little awareness of them. The study summarized preliminary evidence on the cost and waste savings related with utilizing menstruation cups. A single menstrual cup might cost far less than pads or tampons over the course of ten years, according to the study. A cup could cost between 5% and 7% of the expense of using 12 pads or tampons per period (on average $ 0.31 apiece). Over the course of ten years, a cup is predicted to produce 0.4% of the plastic waste produced by single-use pads and 6% of the plastic trash produced by using disposable cups.
Waste disposal for sanitary napkins
A single sanitary napkin might take up to 800 years to degrade, according to a report by Water Aid India and the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India. Sustainability is the only option for dealing with menstruation in a healthy and sanitary manner.
