Good menstrual hygieneis not just a result of the productsone uses, but also how one disposes of them.Disposing sanitary pads in the right way will prevent the spread of disease and infection. We at Stay Sure take you through the dos and don’ts of disposing used sanitary pads and maintaining good menstrual hygiene.
Why Disposing Sanitary Pads is Difficult?
Before we dive into the ideal way to dispose pads, we must first understand the context we live in. As you may be aware, discussing ones periods in India is usually considered taboo. And due to this taboo, those menstruating for the first time may not be informed of the hygiene measures they need to take.Poor disposal practices however run across all age groups. This is due to the lack of awareness, openness and facilities.
Why Sanitary Pads Need to be Disposed Properly?
While some people may understand the necessity of good personal menstrual hygiene, not all realise the importance of disposing sanitary pads properly. Here in India, we usually have a person to physically collect our waste either directly from our homes or from the garbage site. These individuals separate soiled napkins from the rest of the waste often by hand, with little or no protection. They are exposed to dangerous levels of bacteria and germs such as E.coli and salmonella that cause disease.Additionally, garbage dumps are breeding grounds for disease carrying insects such as mosquitos and flies.Improperly disposing sanitary pads could cause another person to fall sick.
Apart from this, have you ever noticed how animals such as goats and cows scavenge through our garbage? Imagine quality of milk one would get from a cow that has been picking at a badly disposed sanitary napkin. Similarly, clogged sewage lines can affect our health as can the fumes caused by openly burning sanitary napkins.
As you can see, disposing sanitary pads properly is an extremely important step to keeping our surroundings clean and disease free. The question that then arises is this. How can an individual help make this process safer? Let’s take a look.
How to Disposea Used Sanitary Pad
While one may not be able to change the way garbage is disposed in their locality, it is important to keep in mind that the entire process of disposing a sanitary pad begins with one individual. If this person disposes the pad in the proper manner, it makes the entire process much saferand more hygienic. We at Stay Sure explain the correct process to dispose a used sanitary pad.
To begin with, remove the used pad from your underwear and roll it up neatly and tightly. While rolling it, make sure the soiled part is on the inside. Wrap the rolled pad, in the wrapper of the fresh pad, using the adhesive tab to secure it. Now wrap this in newspaper. Even if you are not using a fresh pad, make sure to wrap your soiled pad in paper. Doing this properly helps in two ways. First, it helpscontain the odour from the pad and second, it ensures that the pad stays tightly wrapped, preventing it from spreading across the rest of the garbage.
Once the pad is wrapped, throw it in a completely separate garbage bin. If possible, ensure the bin is lined with a plastic bag and has a lid. This will further help contain odour and will make it easier for the person who needs to clear the trash.
Soiled sanitary napkins cannot be classified as either wet waste or dry waste. They belong to a third category called biohazard waste. Biohazard waste refers to waste that contains potentially infectious substances such as blood. Under no circumstances should sanitary pads be mixed with the rest of the garbage.
Do not attempt to flush the pad or even its wrapper in the drain. Sanitary pads are designed to absorb fluid. Therefore when you flush them, they tend to become bigger than they are and block the drain. Once the drain is clogged, the bacteria from the waste spreads, making it extremely dangerous for the person who needs to clear up the clogging. Pads and their wrappers usually contain plastic that can also harm the environment.
Once you throw the pad in the garbage bin, make sure to wash your hands well with soap. In fact as a rule, one should wash their hands both before and after handling menstrual waste.
The garbage bin should be cleared regularly. Sanitary waste should not sit for long in the bin as they attract insects quite quickly.
Sanitary Pad Disposal at a Societal Level
If you are in a position to influence the way sanitary pads are disposed at a societal level, here are a few pointers from the Stay Sure team.
One of the biggest reasons for poor disposal methods is the lack of facilities. If you run a public facility of any kind be it a school or a business, make sure there is a separate bin for sanitary pads. In Maharashtra individuals have been encouraged to mark their sanitary waste with a red dot so as to help with segregation. Try encouraging this in your area as well.
Some people choose to burn their sanitary pads. However as per WHO guidelines, this should be done only in an incinerator that can achieve a temperature greater than 800 degrees Celsius.
As you can see, the do’s and don’ts of disposing used sanitary pads are important for every member of society and not just those using the pads. We at Stay Sure hope these tips help make our surroundings healthier.