A recent study highlighted a serious issue occurring in menstruation products, specifically tampons. Today we at STEM From would like to take time to tackle this issue and the widespread implications it has for other hygienic products or consumer products in general.
The Menstruation Product Problem
A recent pilot study discovered the presence of lead and arsenic in both non-organic and organic tampons. No amount of lead is safe for the body, so these findings have startling revelations. While scientists and other researchers are encouraging the public not to panic, many would argue that concern regarding usage is understandable and normal. Studies in the past have also drummed up troubling findings, with chemicals such as “perfluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS; plasticizers, also known as phthalates; and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, emitted as gas or fragrances from many consumer products” being found in tampons and other menstrual products. These compounds are commonly controlled in Europe but are not highly regulated in the United States. With this information, it is completely reasonable for people who menstruate to be worried, especially in the US. One such study in the past even believes that “detection of environmental chemicals in menstrual products, in combination with challenges of exposure assessment, scarcity of human studies, and the exceedingly common occurrence of menstrual bleeding, motivates the need for further research.” In other words, this problem is a lot more serious than people think.
So how did these metals get into tampons, exactly? It’s likely due to the cotton tampons being affected by arsenic presence in soil, water, air, and other parts of the Earth. In their tampon study, researchers found “A geometric mean lead concentration of 120 ng/g [in all] samples.” The only way around this issue is to remove the lead from cotton prior to manufacturing.
What is the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)?
The Second World War brought a boom in chemical usage that would bleed into everyday products. This usage was amplified with the establishment of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 1976, which was intended to regulate chemicals. The act was to be followed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This act wound up doing the opposite of its intention, however, since the act did not include regulation of cosmetics, drugs, and pesticides. This allowed thousands of chemicals to go under the EPA's radar. A helpful update to the TSCA was made in 2016, but reversed under a future president's legislation, propelling us back to dangerous territory.
How many harmful materials are in other everyday products?
These issues branch out to many everyday products, including cosmetics, cleaning products, and more. According to Ballard Brief, these materials wind up in consumer products “due to a lack of testing and regulation, lack of knowledge of consumers, government-protected trade secrets, marketing, and PR tactics, and a desire for cost efficiency and product effectiveness.” The issue is disconcerting due to the numerous health complications, diseases, and problems many chemicals cause. Five groups of chemicals are of immediate priority and concern: phthalates, flame retardants, bisphenol (BPA), pesticides, and PFAS. Due to poor safety regulations, it is almost impossible to try and gauge the actual number of harmful materials circulating in everyday products.
Who is affected the most by these harmful materials?
Out of everyone, marginalized communities such as African Americans, Latinos, and the lower class face the greatest risks. This is possibly due to higher-quality goods being more expensive and in turn less accessible for those communities. This is mostly speculation, however, and more research needs to be performed to discover more potential causations. Generally, everyone is affected by this epidemic, and the risks should not be ignored regardless of which groups are affected more.
How do companies in America get so many of these chemicals in products?
There are several ways these chemicals make it into everyday products. For example, many companies in these industries will use the highly ambiguous label of “fragrance” to disguise the usage of dangerous materials or chemicals. Why can they do this? They can claim their “fragrance” is a trade secret and not have to list the ingredients within. Another massive issue is a lack of testing and regulation in general, leading to many of these chemicals being completely overlooked. There is also a tactic known as greenwashing that leads consumers to believe a product is healthy, non-toxic, etc. due to false advertising and intentionally misleading labeling. These issues are deeply rooted, and there are many more loopholes that exist.
How can I avoid these dangerous chemicals in the products I use?
It’s difficult to dodge this massive issue in day-to-day life. The following websites offer excellent advice to keep your life as chemical-free as possible in the United States.
What are some solutions to this problem?
While it would take a decent amount of time, effort, and awareness to undo all the damage caused, there are plenty of solutions to be had. This includes and is not limited to:
Substitute with Safe Alternatives: Push for the development and usage of non-toxic or significantly less harmful chemical alternatives.
Regulation Improvements: Create stricter regulations and standards, setting limits of harmful chemical usage and crack down on compliance.
Transparent and Honest Labels: Deter from misleading and outright dishonest labels. List all ingredients, including ones under umbrella terms such as "fragrance." Encourage manufacturers to make informed choices.
Encourage Research and Improvements: Invest more money in chemical research to find safer materials and practices. Innovation paves the way for breakthroughs in science that will inevitably improve the state of everyday products.
Educate and Create Awareness of Consumers: Policymakers, manufacturers and consumers alike must be properly educated about the consequences that come with the production of products and haphazard chemical usage. Additionally, they need to learn safer alternatives.
All in all, the United States faces a massive issue with careless usage and pushing of harmful, untested chemicals and products. These issues have recently been found more and more in menstrual products, bringing awareness to the problem. Old standards and practices are barring the States from making progress toward reversal. Yet there are ways the public can play it safe with several methods to avoid harmful chemicals in their home. And not all hope is lost—there are numerous solutions and ways we can improve this epidemic. STEM From encourages our readers to do what they can to contribute to the cause.
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