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Sanitary pads
Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State Professor Deon Visser says prolonged exposure to chemicals found in some sanitary pads could lead to several different disorders, including infertility and endometriosis in women.
A study by the institution found that 23 sanitary pad brands contained at least two such chemicals, with the analysis focusing on the outer layers.
Professor Visser says the research indicates that certain sanitary pads, including those marketed as organic or free from harmful chemicals, contain endocrine-disrupting substances which could have harmful effects.
“What we’ve done is we’ve tested the outer layer of several, 23 different menstrual products, and just the outer layer that would touch the body. And they all contained at least two endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Now, they are in small quantities but you need to realise that the average woman would menstruate about 450 times and the continuous exposure to these chemicals is what worries us, because they are not only in menstrual products; they are also in mascara, they are in fragrances, and they are in shampoo and conditioners. And we need to start talking about this, because these chemicals are really harmful.”
Video| UFS study finds chemicals in pads:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQD2kx74bEI
Additionally, researchers say women need more options for sanitary products.
The research has sparked a debate, and the university says it’s also looking to develop safe sanitary towels. The researchers say reusable sanitary towels are a better option.
Visser further says many current options are not viable.
“Because we are not just talking sanitary pads, we are talking baby nappies as well, and that is even more. A baby uses a nappy every day for at least two years, so think about that, if I go with international studies, I have got bad news, international study shows that some of them even contain metals on top of everything. I don’t want to make people run away but we will test them,” adds Visser.
