Toxic Tampons

I did some research for the co-op related to the dangers of conventional tampons. This is something I wrote up about it to post in our store and encourage consumer awareness. The most serious issue to notice here is the presence of dioxin in tampons, which is a byproduct of the chlorine bleaching process. The bottom line is, dioxin is so toxic that no matter how "slight" the companies want to claim its presence is, it shouldn't be in our bodies in the first place. The additional issues should add up to give you an idea of why these conventional hygiene products should be avoided. Feel free to do your own research, as it is not hard to come by.

You buy unbleached flour, eco-farmed rice and organic spices, but have you ever considered the health risks or environmental impact of your feminine hygiene products?

Conventional tampons contain more than just cotton, much more. Most tampons are made of a combination of cotton and rayon combined with dyes, fragrances and super-absorbent chemicals. The cotton is bleached using chlorine, which leaves behind trace amounts of the highly toxic and deadly chemical, dioxin. Dioxin has a cumulative effect in the body and considering the average woman will use 11,000 tampons/pads in her lifetime and that a mere tablespoon could kill the world’s population, this is a serious issue!

Rayon is made from wood pulp, but requires hundreds of chemicals to convert it from wood to rayon. All of these chemicals are then introduced into our bodies.

Then you have the issue of herbicides and pesticides. Cotton is one of the most highly sprayed crops and again, these chemicals have a cumulative effect in the body.

Hopefully you can start to see the big picture: conventional tampons are a truly dangerous object, packed with chemicals (that they are not required to list), and being introduced into some of the most absorbent tissue of a woman’s body.

When choosing feminine products, look for 100% organic cotton, non-chlorine bleached tampons and pads. Also, check out our Diva Cups, which are growing in popularity as a result of their unbeatable health, economic and environmental benefits.