1800 elephants! That's how much menstrual waste generated annually in India can weigh. If you want the exact measurements, it comes down to approximately 9000 tonnes of just menstrual waste.

Waste management is a far more complex activity than it seems, and one where getting the right solution is exceptionally crucial. And menstrual waste is the 1800 elephants in the room that need to be acknowledged now more than ever.

The conversation about menstruation in India is an enormous task in itself due to the number of myths and taboos that surround it. But with everything that is happening in the world, we cannot give precedence to age-old restrictions over extreme environmental damage that the lack of conversation causes.

9000 tonnes of menstrual waste, composed primarily of sanitary napkins made of 90% plastic can only mean harm to the environment, soil, marine animals, and sanitation workers, to name a few. The complete degradation of a single such sanitary product would take approximately 800-900 years. Sign my petition to help combat this problem. 

In 2016, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) brought in the new Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM). This placed menstrual wastes under the category of solid wastes and required the respective treatment and disposal of it.

In an ideal world, we would not be championing this cause. But, given the inaction in policy-level implementation it becomes necessary for us to demand action on implementation of the rules. 

Kolkata has come under the scanner, time and again, for its waste management practices. With over 1 million sanitary pads being generated monthly, the absolute need for the segregation and incineration of menstrual wastes arises. Used sanitary products, more often than not, find themselves in local water bodies and/or any available ground. And this is why I am asking the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for better methods of disposal and the correct treatment of menstrual wastes.

While there are sustainable alternatives, women are often not able to access them due to their inexplicably high price, general lack of awareness, social stigma and unavailability. It is our responsibility to push the authorities to perform their respective duties correctly and to the best of their abilities. 

A signature from you can help us fight in our small way for a greater good. 12 billion pads disposed of annually, each of which takes 800 years to decompose. Our demand from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation - Stop dumping our pads. Segregate and treat them! 

Help us with your one signature, and share this petition so it reaches more people. Act now! 

Image courtesy: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/waste/is-green-menstruation-possible--64796