Beyond waste and reusables: redefining sustainability in menstrual policies

The policy brief argues that current menstrual health policies often oversimplify sustainability by focusing solely on the waste generated by disposable products. It recommends that policymakers adopt a comprehensive framework that considers local contexts, the impact of climate change on water accessibility, the need for standardized product quality, and the socio-economic barriers that influence product choice and disposal practices.

• Current menstrual policies in countries such as Argentina and Colombia often incentivize reusable products without accounting for the influence of cultural beliefs or the impacts of climate change on menstrual practices.
• The ISO Technical Committee 338 is developing non-binding standards for four categories of menstrual products—single-use pads, single-use tampons, reusable cloth-based products, and reusable menstrual cups—which are expected to be finalized by December 2026.
• Environmental impact varies by product and region; a study across France, India, and the US indicated that menstrual cups typically have the lowest impact, whereas organic pads have the highest negative impacts regarding eutrophication, acidification, ecotoxicity, carcinogenic effects, and land use.
• Climate change and environmental shifts threaten menstrual hygiene by reducing access to clean water, which is essential for the safe use of reusable products. This disproportionately affects socioeconomically vulnerable individuals and breastfeeding mothers, particularly in areas of violent conflict fueled by water scarcity.
• Market failures in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) lead to limited availability or high costs for safe menstrual products, including tampons and reusable cups, necessitating research into sustainable market strategies for hard-to-reach areas.

APA

Del Duca, L., & Liera, C. (2024). Beyond waste and reusables: redefining sustainability in menstrual policies. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/184221/beyond-waste-and-reusables-redefining-sustainability-in-menstrual-policies.pdf

Chicago

Del Duca, Laura, and Carla Liera. Beyond waste and reusables: redefining sustainability in menstrual policies. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2024. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/184221/beyond-waste-and-reusables-redefining-sustainability-in-menstrual-policies.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Del Duca |first1=Laura |last2=Liera |first2=Carla |title=Beyond waste and reusables: redefining sustainability in menstrual policies |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=December 2024 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/184221/beyond-waste-and-reusables-redefining-sustainability-in-menstrual-policies.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{delduca2024beyond, author = {Del Duca, Laura and Liera, Carla}, title = {{Beyond waste and reusables: redefining sustainability in menstrual policies}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/184221/beyond-waste-and-reusables-redefining-sustainability-in-menstrual-policies.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }