Hi Super Supporters!

Earlier this week I announced action on Superdrug. On Monday we took action together by tweeting Superdrug, thank you SO much to everyone who got involved, there was loads of activity on Twitter!

Today I’m asking you to please join me in sending them a wave of emails, to show them how many of us want change to happen. Below is a template:

Email: peter.macnab@uk.aswatson.com; help@superdrug.com

Subject: Superdrug End Period Plastic!

Dear Peter Macnab and Superdrug,

I am contacting you as a supporter of the ‘Make all Menstrual Products Plastic Free’ campaign that has over 193K signatures! (www.change.org/plasticfreeperiods

Conventional period products like yours contain up to 90% plastic, are constantly being produced, used for 4-8 hours, disposed of and then take centuries to break down, due to their plastic content.

They have multiple environmental impacts. They can enter rivers, oceans and end up on beaches when incorrectly flushed, in fact an estimated 1.5-2 billion are flushed down UK toilets every year! This then pollutes and negatively impacts the environment and contributes to ocean plastic. Overtime they break down into micro-plastics and fibres which are then a further threat to marine-life and wider ecosystems. They also contribute landfill waste and if they aren’t sent to landfill, then they are incinerated. But no matter where they end up, whether at the bottom of the sea, in landfill or on a beach, they will remain there for hundreds of years.

There are countless companies who produce eco-friendly period products that avoid plastic, which shows that the plastic content of conventional tampons and pads like yours is unnecessary and that their negative environmental impacts are completely avoidable.

You also produce ‘compact’ plastic applicators. Plastic applicators are a major problem, they are used for seconds, yet take centuries to break down. There is no excuse for this excessive use of plastic when there are viable alternatives such as cardboard applicators and non-applicator tampons, both of which you already produce.

This is why 193K of us are calling on you to take responsibility and do something about this issue by eliminating plastic from your own-brand period products and to stop manufacturing plastic applicators. We are also calling on you to give your customers much-needed access to choice by making eco-friendly tampons and pads and reusable options available in your stores, as you don’t currently do this.

Though I understand that changes won’t be made over night and that product development does take time, there are steps that you can take now:

- Stopping the production of your ‘compact’ plastic applicators.

- Eliminating plastic packaging from your pads and replacing it instead for cardboard boxes.

- Making eco-friendly tampons and pads and reusables available in your stores, nationwide to give customers access to choice.

Period products are an essential, however the plastic content of them is not; will you do what is necessary and end period plastic?

Yours sincerely,

_______________________

Thank you again for all your continued support and for everyone taking action, it makes the wave of action even bigger and has more of an impact!

Ella :)

@ella_daish #EndPeriodPlastic