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Most conventional tampons are made from a blend of bleached cotton and/or synthetic substances such as rayon. 99% of TSS cases are found in women wearing rayon-blend tampons. TSS (toxic stock syndrome) is a rare but occasionally fatal disease. It is not sure why it should be the case that tampons containing rayon should be involved in the majority of TSS cases, but evidence suggests that the higher the absorbency of the tampon, the higher the risk of TSS. In many conventional tampons, fibres such as rayon can be treated with chemicals to increase absorbency and so should be avoided. We therefore recommend the use of 100% cotton tampons which avoid the use of artificial chemicals.
NB - It is always better to be safe than sorry – even if you are using 100% cotton tampons, always follow the manufacturer instructions and remember to change tampons regularly.
We would always urge consumers to use their buying power to support organically grown produce but this is particularly true of cotton, which is the most highly sprayed crop in the world. Despite the fact that cotton is grown on approximately 5% of global cultivated land, it accounts for 25% of all insecticides and 12% of all pesticides used globally. Herbicides are also used during conventional cotton production as they are used to defoliate cotton plants at harvesting to make the cotton easier to pick. Indeed, cotton is so highly sprayed that it is now illegal in California to feed the leaves, stems and short fibres of cotton (known collectively as gin trash) to livestock because of the concentrated levels of pesticide residue. It is however, perfectly legal to use this gin trash to make tampons. Aside from the environmental concerns, it makes sense that we wouldn't recommend tampons made from anything other than organic cotton, due to these high pesticide residues – a particular concern for tampons, since they are worn internally.
Despite their appearance, bright white conventional tampons are not sterile – they are made to look as if they are by bleaching. Until fairly recently, conventional tampon manufacturers would use chlorine gas to bleach their products. However, this releases toxins such as dioxin into the environment. Dioxin is very toxic and known to be highly carcinogenic. Due to recent concerns regarding the possibility that tampons could contain minute amounts of dioxin from the bleaching process, many conventional tampon companies no longer use chlorine gas to bleach tampons, but instead use 'elemental chlorine free' bleaching. Tampon manufacturers claim that this doesn't produce dioxin as a by-product, hence dioxin is not present in modern tampons. However, we have not been able to find any independent research to support these claims, so we would err on the side of caution and recommend that you use tampons which have been bleached using a TCF (totally chorine-free) method, or better still, tampons which have not been bleached at all.
Like tampons, sanitary pads can be made from cotton or artificial fibres such as rayon. To increase absorbency, some conventional brands will also include synthetic gels, which may irritate sensitive skin. For the reasons stated above we would recommend 100% unbleached organic cotton sanitary pads as the best option.
According to various estimates, the average woman will use between 11,000 – 16,000 sanitary pads or tampons during her life. That's 250 – 300 lbs of waste ending up either in landfills or sewage treatment plants. Not to mention tampon applicators, which are not biodegradable, and there is always packaging to consider. 100% unbleached organic cotton sanitary products are undoubtedly the safest option to use if we consider health implications. They have the added bonus of being fully biodegradable. And we appreciate that disposable products may well be the most convenient and practical option for you, depending on your circumstances. However, if you are concerned about the environmental aspect of using a disposable product, you may wish to consider the various reusable options available.
A menstrual cup is a reusable alternative to tampons. This product is worn internally, like a tampon, but collects menstrual flow, rather than absorbing it. Although the initial cost may seem to be high, only one cup needs to be purchased, so aside from the environmental advantages, it has the added bonus of being very economical in the long run.
Cloth sanitary pads are the reusable alternative to the commercially available disposable variety. Since they are allergen, chemical and perfume free, they are an ideal option for women with sensitive skin, and many women consider them to be a more comfortable option than disposable pads. Like the menstrual cup, the initial cost may seem to be high, but after the initial outlay they also work out to be a very economical option.
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