Tampons in their current form have been around for nigh on 100 years, but still people are getting rid of theirs incorrectly.
Most people have used a tampon least once in their lives, and will know first hand the convenient siren call of simply flushing it down the toilet.
But that is not the way…
Should you flush tampons down the toilet?
Put simply: No.
Even though people often do, flushing tampons down the loo could end up clogging the toilet.
Standard tampons are just too thick to break down the way toilet paper does.
They also expand when they’re wet – anyone else remember that sex ed class? – so that’s double trouble for pipes and waste processing plants.
Flushing them also means they could end up in the ocean rather than in a landfill, where they’ll do comparatively less harm.
So, instead of flushing them, you should wrap used tampons and any applicators up in toilet paper or similar before putting them straight in the bin.
If you’re looking for more environmentally-friendly alternatives to tampons, you might consider trying menstrual cups or period pants.
Menstrual cups are little reusable silicone chalices that fit inside yor body and catch the blood.
All you need to do is empty them every six to twelve hours and keep them clean.
Period pants are pretty much exactly what they sound like – reusable underwear designed to absorb your period.
Again, all you need to do is clean them and obey the care instructions and you’ll be able to use them again and again.
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