New petition demands safer period products after toxic pesticides found in UK tampons
On the back of recent research exposing toxic chemicals present in tampons, a petition has been launched to make them safer.
Most of us don’t stop to wonder if the tampon we’re using might harm us. Yet, according to a study by researchers at UC Berkeley in the US, there were measurable traces of 16 different metals – including lead and arsenic – found in tampons from 14 different brands sold across the US, UK and EU.
Equally concerning, a later report from Pesticide Action Network UK and the Women’s Environment Network uncovered that many major tampon brands had toxic pesticide levels 40 times higher than the UK’s legal limit for drinking water.
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But how come this was able to happen? At present, tampons are classed as ‘consumer goods’ in the UK. This means that they only have to be tested for absorbency, not for the presence of toxins or chemicals. Tampons are a possible source of metal exposure, according to research.
What is the petition for safer tampons?In an attempt to tighten regulation, the organic period care brand TOTM launched a petition calling for tampons to be subject to “product-specific safety regulations” – while retaining VAT-free status. It states that these safety regulations should require ingredient labelling, rigorous safety testing, and post-market monitoring.
It adds: “We believe introducing product-specific regulations could help ensure robust safety testing, transparent labelling, and ongoing monitoring protecting public health and enabling informed consumer choices about products used in the body.”
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If the petition achieves its aims, manufacturers will have to clearly list tampon ingredients on packaging and test for harmful chemicals and metals before products are allowed on shelves. It also calls for safety checks to occur after the product has gone on market.
Victoria Fytche-Crossman, global health and women’s wellness specialist at TOTM told Stylist : “Under current regulation, brands can choose not to list ingredients like bleach or glyphosate on their packaging. That disempowers consumers by keeping them in the dark about what they’re putting into their bodies.”
The petition has been back by several organic period care brands including Mooncup, Daye, Yoni and Here We Flo, Stylist reports.
The appeal has over 1,000 signatories at the time of writing, but is calling for 10,000. If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the government will publish a written response.
If you wish to sign the petition for greater safety regulation regarding our tampons then click here.
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