Women may have a lot to say about the brand of tampons they use but do they really know what's in it? With 70 percent of American women using tampon, an average woman will use up to 16,000 tampons in her life.
In general, tampons are made up of rayon, cotton and synthetic fibers blended together to create the maximum absorption possible. Since the 1980s, American consumers have been asking for more information about the materials used and the processes used to manufacture one of women's most important hygiene products. Approved and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as medical devices, manufacturers are not obliged to completely disclose the materials used in tampons and pads.
Toxic shock syndrome is a bacterial infection caused by toxins produced by staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria or group A streptococcus (strep) bacteria which has been linked to retained tampons or pads. The growing awareness about toxic shock syndrome and environmental issues drove many women to demand what goes into their tampons and pads.
Since 1997, New York congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has introduced a bill nine times that would make manufacturers to disclose the materials and processes used in making pads, tampons and other hygiene products for women. Maloney's legislation will require manufacturers to transparently label all preservatives, fragrances, contaminants and dyes used in making the products. The bill also requires the National Institutes of Health to analyze the health risks linked to the products as there is very little study done in the subject. The bill was passed nine times and failed every time.
In October, Women's Voices for the Earth members staged a protest in front of Procter & Gamble's (P&G) headquarters. Dressed up as tampon boxes and pads, their signs said 'My uterus loves accurate labels,' urging the consumer product giant to disclose the complete makeup of their feminine pads and tampons. P&G is the biggest feminine products manufacturer in the U.S. with 44 percent of the market share.'
Women's Voice for the Earth put P&G's Always feminine pads to the test and found the napkins produced chemicals such as chloroform, styrene and chloroethane. Styrene was classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization while the Environmental Protection Agency found short-term contact to high levels of chloromethane can develop neurological side effects and lack of muscle coordination as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While all the levels found in the products were deemed acceptable by federal guidelines, the presence still comes with much concern.
"While the levels of the toxic chemicals emitted by Always pads were relatively low, their presence warrants health concerns for women," said Women's Voices for the Earth said in a statement.
