{"id":662,"date":"2026-03-11T12:50:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T12:50:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/sustainable-bath\/?p=662"},"modified":"2026-03-11T12:50:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T12:50:46","slug":"rights-justice-action-why-menstruation-belongs-in-climate-conversations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/sustainable-bath\/2026\/03\/11\/rights-justice-action-why-menstruation-belongs-in-climate-conversations\/","title":{"rendered":"Rights. Justice. Action: Why menstruation belongs in climate conversations"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we mark International Women\u2019s Day 2026, the theme Rights. Justice. Action.<\/a> Dr Rebecca Evans shares her views on the links between menstruation, environmental sustainability and the pursuit of justice.<\/p>\n

\n

'This year\u2019s focus on justice invites us to rethink everyday issues that often remain invisible. Menstruation is an obvious discourse for International Women's Day, but what has the climate crisis got to do with it? I argue from an ecofeminist stance that menstrual justice is climate justice. The environmental impacts of menstruation are not a side issue; they are a justice issue that affects everybody.<\/p>\n

The advent of disposable period products, such as pads and tampons, went hand in hand with the rise of feminism in the 1960s in the USA and Europe. Their convenience undoubtedly contributed to autonomy and empowerment for many women. Only a few voices questioned the responsibility for their disposal. Half a century later, products have continued to evolve, promising up to 12-hour leak-proof protection, with pockets, wings, super thin and super thick varieties, night time and maternity options, and frequently the claim that they are flushable.<\/p>\n

\"Ahh\u2026 flushable!\" That is what we want. Nobody enjoys smelly sanitary bins in public toilets. The idea of being able to flush and forget is appealing. The assumption is that something labelled flushable will magically disappear in the sewer system, breaking down before the wastewater ever sees daylight again. But the truth is very different. Flushable simply means the product could, in theory, biodegrade under ideal conditions in around 500 years. Like disposable nappies, every single one ever made still exists. Sewer systems carry wastewater to filtration plants that separate contaminants by size. Nothing magical happens to menstrual products, and many escape.<\/p>\n

\"""\"
One in four pieces of rubbish collected on UK beaches is a pad or tampon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The scale of disposal is staggering. There are around 17 million menstruators in the UK. Using an average of 20 pads or tampons per cycle and 13 cycles per year, each person could dispose of roughly 260 items annually. That amounts to 4,420,000,000 items potentially entering UK oceans each year.<\/p>\n

The intersection of menstruation and sustainability is complex. Period poverty is a real issue. Organisations have been encouraged to provide free menstrual products to tackle this, and these are nearly always disposables because they are inexpensive, easy to use and familiar. With plastic barriers and chemical absorbents, disposables achieve lasting leak proof protection in ways that ordinary cloth cannot. Once flushed, they are out of sight and out of mind, and everyone can congratulate themselves on a job well done.<\/p>\n

Yet many people, especially younger generations, are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of pads and tampons. More sustainable choices now exist, such as reusable pads, menstrual cups and period pants. However, people often hesitate to switch because of the upfront cost, which at around \u00a320 per item can feel prohibitive, and the need for washing and reuse systems. If organisations want to support the provision of period products, they could consider ways to make sustainable options more accessible. This may require changes in infrastructure and policy, but as it affects the environment, it is everybody\u2019s business. That\u2019s menstrual justice. That\u2019s climate justice.'<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dr Rebecca Evans<\/p>\n

Department of Social and Policy Science<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The University of Bath provides free, organic-cotton emergency period products across our campus<\/a> for anyone who needs it. Period poverty effects one in five of people in the UK,<\/a> and the impact ripples far beyond physical discomfort, affecting education and work, mental health and increasing isolation. If you are in need of support consider applying to the University of Bath Financial Support Fund.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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