E-Magazine reports that 6.5 billion tampons were thrown in the garbage or flushed into our already overburdened sewer systems in 1998. The Center for Marine Conservation reported that more than 170,000 plastic tampon applicators polluting our oceans were collected during beach cleanups in 1998 and 1999. Add the trash concerns to worries about dioxin, a cancer-causing bi-product of bleaching paper and cotton, and many women are choosing reusable menstrual cups instead of disposable tampons.
Saving Money with Reusable Menstrual Cycle Products
The makers of one reusable menstrual cup estimates that disposable products cost an average of $4 USD per month, but no doubt some women spend more. A decade of using a reusable cup would save the user hundreds of dollars.
The Reusable Menstrual Cup is a Green Alternative to Tampons
The reusable menstrual cup has been helping women manage their moon cycles for nearly a century with U.S. patents dating as far back as 1932. Cups are worn like a tampon and must be emptied and rinsed, or cleaned out with toilet tissue, every few hours. Unlike tampons, cups are made of a nonabsorbent material such as natural gum rubber (latex) or medical grade silicone that leave no fibers behind and are not drying. Menstrual cups can be used overnight and during sports activities or any other time you would wear a tampon. Available in several designs, most are compatible with intra-uterine devices (IUDs) and other birth control methods. Costs vary by make and model but are generally around $35 USD.
- The Keeper is a Food & Drug Administration approved latex cup available in two sizes that has been on the market since 1987. The Keeper is made in the United States, may last up to 10 years, and comes with a 3-month satisfaction guarantee for women wanting to try out a reusable menstrual cup. Fun tidbit about The Keeper: The 1992, the female scientists of Biosphere 2 chose The Keeper as their form of feminine hygiene.
- MoonCup (US) is manufactured by the same company as The Keeper and it is identical except that is is made of medical grade silicone and can be used by women with a latex allergy.
- MoonCup (UK) is manufactured by a Good Shopping Guide certified Ethical Company in the United Kingdom. The silicone MoonCup is available in Boots Pharmacies in the UK and online but may not be shipping to the United States due to a trademark dispute with the above mentioned MoonCup.
- Diva Cup is the Canadian competitor to the Keeper and Mooncup by a mother and daughter business out of Ontario. The silicone cup is available online and from distributors world wide. Retail locations in the United States and Canada include Whole Foods and Yes Markets.
- LadyCup is manufactured in the Czech Republic but can be shipped world-wide. The company claims to have improved flexibility of the silicone cup, which is available in several colors, and boasts a completely smooth design (no embossed logos on the product) for ease of maintenance.
- FleurCup, also silicone, is made in France and boasts easy insertion and extraction due to the cup's removal tab design. The company's frequently asked questions web page (in French) has some very nice animated graphics showing folding techniques for insertion that should be applicable to many brands of menstrual cup.
- Lunnette is a Finnish company that manufactures both an uncolored silicone and blue cup. The blue cup may not be available in all countries due to importation approvals.
- MiaCup is a silicone cup manufactured in South Africa. The company donates 5 South African Rands to Food & Trees for Africa with every purchase.
Not all products will be available for shipping to all countries.
Other Eco-Friendly Tampon Alternatives
- Sea Sponge Tampons may appeal to women who find a cup uncomfortable. The sea sponge is an animal, so vegetarians may have ethical issues with their harvest and use as tampons. Sponges are rinsed between uses and must be disinfected between cycles. Environmentalists will want to take care that sponges are harvested in the least harmful manner possible to the ocean floor.
- Reusable Tampons made of cotton or knit are becoming a cottage industry. Much like a very small cloth diaper, they are washed and reused.
Women uncomfortable with internal personal care products may wish to explore reusable menstrual pads instead.
More Environmentally-Friendly Disposables
Many women find menstrual cups to be more convenient and more comfortable than tampons. But for women who do not find reusable cups appropriate or convenient in every circumstance but still want to lighten the environmental load of their menstrual period, there are organic and unbleached cotton and bamboo tampons and pads from many manufacturers worldwide. Several options should be available wherever natural products are sold.
Jennifer Mueller - Jen is an advocacy communications and media relations professional with a deep understanding of environmental issues. She has ...
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