How many tampons are sold per year

But they also got generations of women and other menstruators hooked on plastic-centric products that will live on for at least years after their brief usefulness has passed. In Europe, most tampons are sold without applicators. Things you can do to be part of the solution :. One of the popular alternatives is the reusable pad , a better-designed version of a very old technology. Others have embraced menstrual cups , another old technology that has recently seen a resurgence in popularity.

Some companies are designing underwear that absorbs period blood directly and can be washed and used over and over, while other menstruators choose to bleed freely throughout their periods, eschewing the traditional stigma that comes from visible evidence of this most basic of biological realities.

And breaking down the stigma around menstruation, says Bobel, is critical to moving toward a more socially and environmentally thoughtful future. It's not. How your toothbrush became a part of the plastic crisis. Why carrying your own fork and spoon helps solve the plastic crisis. The sticky problem of plastic wrap. This common plastic packaging is a recycling nightmare. Cigarette butts are toxic plastic pollution. Should they be banned?

How the plastic bottle went from miracle container to hated garbage. Tires: The plastic polluter you never thought about. Can medical care exist without plastic? Your shoes are made of plastic. All rights reserved. Environment The Story of Plastic. How tampons and pads became so unsustainable A combination of technology and social pressure drove us toward sanitary products shot through with plastic.

Tampon applicators are almost always made from plastic. Some companies make applicator-free tampons. This article was created in partnership with the National Geographic Society. Things you can do to be part of the solution : 1. Try menstrual cups or reusable products. Choose tampons without applicators and made from natural fibers.

National Geographic is committed to reducing plastics pollution. Learn more about our non-profit activities at natgeo. Full access: To this and over 1 million additional datasets Save Time: Downloads allow integration with your project Valid data: Access to all sources and background information. Exclusive Corporate feature. Corporate Account.

Statista Accounts: Access All Statistics. Basic Account. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. Corporate solution including all features. Statistics on " Feminine hygiene market " The most important statistics.

The most important statistics. Further related statistics. Absorbency of tampons used in the U. Further Content: You might find this interesting as well. Statistics Absorbency of tampons used in the U. Topics Feminine hygiene market Global status of women Women's health in the U. Personal care market in Europe Body care market in Europe.

Learn more about how Statista can support your business. Unfortunately, it can take to years for the most popular period product to break down. Manufacturing pads and tampons also require using a lot of resources and chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

Reusable pads are made of cloth, and even though they cost more up front, they offer a more economic option than disposables because they last three to five years and replace hundreds of pads and tampons. Reusable pads are more sustainable than disposable pads but also have their downsides. For people living in poverty who lack access to water, sanitation, and hygiene, cloth pads might not always offer the best solution, as they can cause infections if not washed adequately to remove all germs.

Cleaning reusable pads also still requires water, which is in short supply in countries around the world, and detergent, which is a pollutant.

They can, however, be repurposed as cleaning rags or other items and biodegrade faster than plastics. Tampons, which are inserted in the vaginal canal and expand as they absorb menstrual blood, are one of the worst period product offenders when it comes to environmental impact.

The majority of tampons are made of absorbent materials such as plastic , rayon, or a blend of cotton and rayon and synthetic fibers, are wrapped in plastic, and often have plastic strings made of polyester or polypropylene and plastic applicators. Tampon applicators are technically unnecessary but marketers pushed them to capitalize off of the shame around women coming into contact with their genitals and menstrual blood. Most tampons are sold without applicators in Europe and Australia.

The plastics used in tampon applicators are made out of low-density polyethylene LDPE , an environmentally harmful pollutant that requires energy-intensive processing. Some people who menstruate choose to use reusable tampon applicators with applicator-free tampons to cut down on using single-use plastic. If you do the math, that means people who menstruate are using 20 or more tampons over the course of every period, ammounting to the equivalent of 80 plastic bags per cycle.

Ancient Tribes used natural materials, usually grasses, moss etc. It was very bulky. Modern pads and liners are very discreet and are held in place by adhesive strips. These thin towels helped to regain the popularity of pads. A doctor in the USA invented the first tampon for his wife, a nurse. She encouraged development of a more suitable product to be placed on the market.