Widely used sanitary napkins may not be as safe to use for menstrual health as they are made out to be. A new study has found that cancer-causing contaminants are found in widely-available sanitary pads sold in India. This is an alarming discovery, especially considering that almost three in every four teenage women in India use sanitary napkins.
“It is shocking to find numerous harmful chemicals in commonly available sanitary products, including toxic chemicals like carcinogens, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, and allergens,” said Dr Amit, one of the investigators and a programme coordinator at the environmental NGO Toxics Link.
The study conducted by the NGO that’s part of the International Pollutants Elimination Network tested ten brands of pads (including organic and inorganic) available across India, and found traces of phthalates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in all the samples. Both contaminants have the ability to form cancerous cells. Toxics Link found that their concentrations were up to three times higher than the European regulation standard in some of the pads it analysed.
What makes this more concerning is that the chances of harmful chemicals being absorbed by the body are very high through sanitary pads. “As a mucous membrane, the vagina can secrete and absorb chemicals at a higher rate than the skin,” said Dr Aakanksha Mehrotra, a programme coordinator at Toxics Link who was part of this study.
There is an increasing push for Indian women to use sanitary pads, instead of unhygienic means of protection. However, the presence of harmful chemicals, including carcinogens, is a devastating blow to the trust hard-earned.
“While there are regulations in the European region, the composition, manufacture and usage of sanitary pads are not governed by a specific regulation in India but are subject to BIS standards which have nothing specific on chemicals,” Chief Programme Coordinator of Toxics Link Priti Banthia Mahesh told India Today.
The latest National Family Health Survey revealed that nearly 64 per cent of women aged 15-24 years use sanitary pads. Demography and education also determine the usage of pads. It is inferred that a more prosperous society has a higher usage of pads.
Meanwhile, the Indian sanitary pads market reached a value of USD 618.4 million in 2021. It is expected that this market will reach USD 1.2 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 11.3 per cent during 2022-2027, according to the IMARC group.
