Menstruation isn't a choice, so access to menstrual products should be a right. It’s a necessary biological phenomenon. We all know the importance of hygienic menstrual products, as poor sanitation increases the risk of urogenital tract infections, genital sores and dermatitis.1

Yet, many of us aren't aware that many menstrual products that are currently widely available contain up to 90% plastic.2 Menstrual products contribute to a MASSIVE 18,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste each year in Australia.3

We need to do something about this!

Affordable, sustainable alternatives are required!

It is the responsibility of the Australian Government to make a commitment to a greener future and provide all Australian women the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint.

Many Australian women aren’t able to afford menstrual products let alone sustainable ones. Over one million Australian women face ‘period poverty’.4 Recently, the NZ government announced free pads and tampons to school girls to tackle this 'period poverty' while both the Victorian and South Australian governments have announced the distribution of menstrual products to school students as well.5-7

We believe that the Australian Government should adopt a similar approach but provide sustainable menstrual products for all school girls. This includes menstrual cups, reusable pads/tampons, period underwear and biodegradable pads and tampons. We believe this would encourage eco-friendly menstrual habits from a young age and provide much needed menstrual hygiene to those in need thus improving the health and well-being of Australian women.8

We also believe that the government should provide similar products to impoverished women in women’s and homeless shelters, to ensure a more widespread practice of sustainable and hygienic menstruation.

Please watch our video 'The Period Dilemma' linked here for more information.

Please sign this petition to prompt URGENT action in sustainable menstruation.

 

REFERENCES

1. Das P, Baker KK, Dutta A, Swain T, Sahoo S, Das BS. Menstrual Hygiene Practices, Wash Access and the Risk of Urogenital Infection in Women from Odisha India. PLoS ONE. 2015; 10(6): e0130777. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130777

2. Mayor of LondonAssembly Environment Committee. Single-use plastics: Unflushables. https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/plastics_unflushables_-_submited_evidence.pdf Published 2018. Accessed June 15, 2020.

3. The sustainable period project. Women Against Waste Web site. https://www.womenagainstwaste.com.au/articles/the-sustainable-period-project Published 2019. Accessed June 15, 2020.

4. Santoreneos A. The demeaning truth of what it means to be poor in Australia. Yahoo Finance. November 13, 2019.https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/brutal-side-of-poverty-that-impacts-only-women-004700758.html Accessed June 15, 2020

5. Roy EA. New Zealand tackles 'period poverty' with free sanitary products for all schoolgirls. The Guardian. June 3, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/03/new-zealand-tackles-period-poverty-with-free-sanitary-products-for-all-schoolgirls Accessed June 15, 2020.

6. Cook H. The maths of providing free pads and tampons in schools. The Age. April 23, 2019. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-maths-of-providing-free-pads-and-tampons-in-schools-20190423-p51gk1.html Accessed June 15, 2020.

7. Skujins A. ‘Period poverty’ Bill aims to help high school students. InDaily. March 13, 2020. https://indaily.com.au/news/2020/03/13/period-poverty-bill-aims-to-help-high-school-students/ Accessed June 15, 2020.

8. Loewenstein G, Price J, Volpp K. Habit formation in children: Evidence from incentives for healthy eating. J Health Econ. 2016;45(1): 47-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2015.11.004