Latest news with #menstrualproducts
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Forever chemicals linked to cancer and infertility now found in products used by 30million Americans
Nearly three in four reusable menstrual products contain traces of cancer-causing 'forever chemicals,' a new study suggests. Notre Dame researchers tested nearly 60 pairs of period underwear, pads and cups for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), toxic chemicals that have been linked to cancer, infertility and birth defects. They earned the name because they don't break down in the body, instead leeching from nonstick cookware into food and cosmetic products into skin and building up in vital organs, increasing the risk of organ failure, reproductive complications and some forms of cancer. After analyzing over 300 samples taken from 59 reusable menstrual products, the researchers found 70 percent contained traces of PFAS, though they were low enough to suggest they were not added intentionally. Of those, 33 percent of period underwear and 25 percent of pads had the greatest rates of 'intentional fluorination,' meaning the chemicals were purposely added to wick moisture away and coat the surfaces. Because a majority of companies manufacturing reusable feminine hygiene products did not add PFAS intentionally, 'PFAS must not be essential' in creating them, the researchers said. The team believes PFAS in reusable period products can enter the body through direct contact with the skin and previous studies have suggested skin absorption could be a significant pathway to exposure to certain PFAS. The researchers hope the new study will discourage the use of PFAS in reusable feminine hygiene products like menstrual cups and underwear and increase ingredient transparency for one in five US women who use them. Graham Peaslee, study author and physicist at the University of Notre Dame, said: 'The reusable menstrual product market is a rapidly growing market, which relies heavily on the idea that these products are environmentally conscious because of the significant reduction in the use of paper and plastic products. 'To the extent that they use organic textiles, these products are also marketed to consumers who are typically health and environmentally conscious. However, we found that almost a third of them were being made with PFAS. 'This means these products are both a risk to the wearer as well as to the rest of us when they are eventually disposed of, since we know that these forever chemicals persist when they end up in landfills, contaminating irrigation and drinking water systems for all of us.' The new study builds on Peaslee's earlier research, which detected PFAS in period products, fast food wrappers and cosmetics. PFAS are thought to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they imitate the body's hormones and interfere with the production of - and response to - natural hormones like estrogen and testosterone. This increases the risk of developing hormone-sensitive cancers like breast and ovarian cancer. The study, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, tested 59 reusable menstrual products manufactured in North America, South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. These consisted of 43 pairs of period underwear, eight reusable pads, four menstrual cups, three pairs of reusable incontinence underwear and one reusable incontinence pad. Because these products have multiple layers, 323 samples were taken in total. Using particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy - which detects the presence of certain elements in surfaces - the team found 71 percent had PFAS concentrations low enough to be characterized as 'non-intentionally fluorinated,' meaning they were not purposely added. However, 33 percent of period underwear and 25 percent of reusable pads had 'intentional fluoridation,' suggesting PFAS was added on purpose. Even with the new study, Peaslee said: 'There's still a lot we don't know about the extent to which PFAS are being used in the manufacturing of these products, and too much we don't know about the potential for these chemicals to be absorbed through the skin by the consumers who wear them.' However, the results show because most products have low levels of PFAS, the chemicals 'must not be essential in the manufacture of reusable feminine hygiene products,' lead study author Alyssa Wicks, a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame, said. She added: 'This is good news in that it demonstrates PFAS are not required to produce these environmentally conscious products, and manufacturers should be able to make these textile products without chemicals of concern in them.'
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Toxic pesticide levels found in tampons 40 times higher than legal limit for water
Toxic pesticide levels have been found in tampons at levels 40 times higher than the legal limit for drinking water. Traces of glyphosate, a pesticide linked to cancer, has been found at very high levels in menstrual products, according to a report by the Pesticide Action Network UK (Pan UK), the Women's Environmental Network and the Pesticide Collaboration. This is concerning, according to the authors, because chemicals absorbed through the vagina directly enter the bloodstream, bypassing the body's detoxification systems. This means even small traces of chemicals in direct contact with the vagina could cause health risks. The researchers tested 15 boxes of tampons from UK retailers across a range of different popular brands. Glyphosate was found in tampons in one of the boxes, at 0.004 mg/kg. The UK and EU maximum residue level for drinking water is 0.0001 mg/kg, making this 40 times higher than permitted levels of glyphosate in drinking water. Glyphosate is the world's most widely used herbicide, but a review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation, classified the weedkiller as 'probably carcinogenic to humans'. It has also been linked to the development of Parkinson's, and emerging research is raising concerns about links to other serious health conditions. Amy Heley, from the Pesticide Collaboration, said: 'If this level of glyphosate is deemed to be unsafe in the water we drink, why is it allowed to appear in our period products? Our investigation reveals that women, girls and those who menstruate may not be protected from exposure to harmful chemicals. And yet, most people remain completely unaware that this is even an issue.' It is thought this pesticide could have ended up in the tampons because weedkillers are used to grow cotton, a key ingredient. The plant is one of the most chemical-dependent crops in the world, and up to 300 pesticides can be used in its global production. The UK government has no plans to tackle chemicals in period products, even though previous studies have found heavy metals such as lead and arsenic in tampons. Josie Cohen, the interim director at Pan UK, said: 'We were genuinely shocked to find glyphosate in tampons sitting on UK shelves. This harmful chemical is already impossible to avoid since it's sprayed by councils in streets and parks and contaminates much of our food and water due to its overuse in farming. 'We urgently need to reduce our overall toxic load and shouldn't have to worry about glyphosate and other highly hazardous pesticides in our period products. This is a blatant gap in health and safety regulation that the government urgently needs to address.' The report's authors have suggested a regulation scheme with a testing process in place to ensure period products are pesticide-free. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion In the UK, glyphosate is used to prepare fields for sowing crops by clearing all vegetation from the land. It kills weeds by inhibiting EPSP synthase, an enzyme involved in plant growth, while not damaging crops that have been genetically modified to be glyphosate-tolerant. Farmers argue that it is an important herbicide because it has 'high efficacy on non-resistant weeds and is a cost-effective weed control solution for farmers'. But beyond concerns about human health, red flags have also been raised over the weedkiller's impact on biodiversity: recent research has shown that it damages wild bee colonies, and this product also has adverse effects on aquatic organisms. There are calls to ban it from urban areas: at present many local councils continue to use it to kill weeds. However, 70 to 80 UK councils have turned to chemical-free options or now simply allow plants grow, from Bath & North East Somerset council, to Highland council in Scotland.
