Sun, sea, sand... tampons??
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That wasn't in the brochure! When you're heading for the beach, we're betting that used tampons aren't high on your wish list. So how does it happen that sanitary waste is polluting our beaches, rivers and treasured natural landscapes?
It starts with a flush. Many girls and women still think tampons are flushable, in fact our research reveals that 41% didn't know that you're not supposed to flush them. After all, they usually make it past the U-bend and are quickly forgotten.
But what happens next? Unlike toilet paper and our body's waste, tampons don't break up in water. Sooner or later, down the pipes, a blockage forms. The flooding sewage may be in your high street, causing roadworks, or further down the line, or even in your back garden... nice! Either way, the water company has to hack out the 'fatberg' of tampons, wipes and other nasties and drive it to landfill.
How big is the problem? In the UK...
Whilst somewomen are simply unaware that flushing tampons is a no-no, the remaining flushers do so rather guiltily, simply because when you have a used tampon in your hand, you want to get rid of cleanly and immediately!
Binning tampons isnot as easy as it sounds:
How big is the problem? In the UK...
- 62% of women are flushers
- an estimated 1.4 billion tampons areflushed each year
- causing £80m in water company repairs
Whilst somewomen are simply unaware that flushing tampons is a no-no, the remaining flushers do so rather guiltily, simply because when you have a used tampon in your hand, you want to get rid of cleanly and immediately!
Binning tampons isnot as easy as it sounds:
- what if there is not enough toilet roll to wrap the used tampon?
- what if you feel bad leaving it in someone else's bin?
- what if there's no bathroom bin at all?
- 84% of women feel embarrassed disposing of a tampon in someone else's house
- 52% of women have had to sneak a used tampon into their handbag or pocket to dispose oflater
- 1 in 3 women have personally, or know someone who has, had a "nightmare" disposal scenario!
- No mess - patented loops mean you can open it one-handed, plus it seals hygienically closed
- No embarrassment - opaque, non-rustley material offers discretion
- No anxiety - even if there is no bin on hand, once bagged your tampon can be easily pocketed till later
- No guilt - the bags are biodegradable for a green solution