to think plastic applicators for Tampax are disgraceful and unjustifiable?

[appropriatelytrained]

I sent DH to buy me a pack of tampons recently from the local shop. He came back with Tampax Compak (the only choice).

I'm no green activist, but I was shocked to see non-biodegradable, non-recyclable plastic applicators used for this product.

It seems to me that applicators are generally pretty unnecessary but to make them out of plastic just for convenience and comfort (Tampax's response to my query) makes them an unjustifiable vanity product.

Churning out plastic applicators for no genuine purpose when the company know (despite what they may say) that these products will end up flushed down the toilet, is disgraceful.

Right, I'll get off my soap box. I don't post here usually but I just felt really angered by this when so many companies are trying very hard to change the necessary packaging of their products, this company is producing unnecessary packaging without thought of consequence.

During heavy rainfall, which is beyond the capacity of the wastewater treatment works, the effluent may pass into a watercourse, the Utility companies have to have a damn good reason for doing this though.

The effluent is the liquid waste, which is what is left after the screening process.

Interesting thread....just finished bathing kids this evening to find my 16 month old sucking on the compax applicator she found in the bin!!!

They do have sanitary bins in our office loo cubicles, there's no excuse for flushing them but people still do.

Oh my god will everyone stop saying SANPRO?!!! What an irritating little anacronym. [hgrin]

Yuh, yuh, just popping to the shops to sort out my sanpro.

Slightlymad, yes this is what is supposed to happen.

However, in reality, and this has happened many, many times over the last few years here in the south west, during times of heavy rain (and over the last few summers this was depressingly frequent), there is raw sewage running down rivers into the sea. And this contains cotton buds, sanitary products, and whole turds (sorry to be crude, but it is crude). There was a Panorama on in a year or so ago. These are the same beaches where people take their children to play, hence Surfers Against Sewage's campaign and early warning system. SW Water don't like it, but they have to lump it.

Anacronim?? Acronym.

p.s. bit torn OP. Can't bear the waste of use-once plastic packaging. Yet having tried Compac, they are literally the only thing that doesn't hurt my scar tissue.

Good job I got a Mirena and stopped the period lark.

I shall ask DH about SW Water, he has worked on a few of the sites and might have some knowledge of what is happening down there. He is also a surfer so is not biased. He has also surfed with sanitary towels joining him for the ride.

I have a genuine question...

Is it OK to flush cardboard applicators?
Is it OK to flush the used tampon itself?

I would never flush a towel or a plastic applicator. But I used to think it was OK to flush the two things above (am sure I read it on the packaging?) but since all the signs started popping up everywhere about not flushing any sanitary products I've never been sure.

They changed the design of the cardboard ones a few years ago and I found that they were collapsing on insertion. I was wasting 3 for every one I managed to use and I got fed up and changed to Compac ones. I won't be changing back (and I don't flush them).

Riverboat - have you actually read the thread?

No, it's not OK.

OK, slightlymad. Ask him about the red river at Gwithian. Ask him about St Agnes. Ask him what he thinks about SAS. None of the surfers I know - and by that I mean guys and girls who go in the water every day they possibly can, all year round, including when the water is 8 degrees and the air temp is near freezing, like my DH - would say anything other than sewage in the sea is a big problem. That's why they get ear infections. That's why after times of heavy rain they get stomach upsets. And that's why sanitary towels join them for the ride :). SW Water and the other water companies have certainly cleaned up their act in recent years and things are nowhere near as bad as they used to be. The problem is after heavy rainfall, and without millions and millions of poundsworth of investment, the problem won't go away, particularly as we get heavier and more intense rainfall. However, if no one flushes sanitary products down the loo, then when the emergency sluices do have to be used then it means that it won't be as revolting. Look at this picture for a starters
Riverboat, no it's not ok to put tampons in the loo. Wrap them up and put them in the bin. Have a little bin during your period if you want.

Yes slavetofilofax, I've read the thread. But it's not generally been clear whether people have been talking about plastic applicators (the subject of the thread) or the whole thing.

I do actually put them in a bin whenever there's a bin (though as I say, I didn't always used to). I was just checking.

Wow slow down! My DH is not the bad guy he's out at the moment but when he gets back if he has time I will ask him if he wants to answer some questions.

Am sure he will be willing but only if it remains polite and its not late.

OK, so just went to try to find a tampax leaflet thingy, and found one. It does say that the cardboard applicator can be thrown away in the majority of toilets, but that the tampon has to go in the bin. That's what I had read that was confusing me.

But anyway, if there's a bin it's hardly a hardship to just put all bits in there anyway.

As you were.

Very sorry slightlymad. I didn't mean to sound rude, or aggressive, though looking at the post it does sound both a bit! It's just I get quite worked up about stuff in the sea.

Don't worry its no problem, just didn't want it ending in a bun fight.

I can't believe people flush plastic applicators anyway - you aren't suposed to

I used a moocup for a long time but I got leakage and then repeated thrush and cystitis whn using it and had to go back to tampax - however I don't flush any thing - I bin it.

Have to admit I always flushed the actual tampon until recently when I read on MN you weren't supposed to

Never flushed any sort of applicator though, why would you flush plastic

Clearly the winning option here is a jam sponge

Oh do fuck off OP, havent you got anything better to do?

I use a mooncup but still, fuck the fuck off.

Its all supposed to go in the bin anyway!

What a charmer. Are you always this pleasant?

I find them massively uncomfortable and scratchy compared to the cardboard ones; I'm amazed to read that people actually like them.

Wouldn't they be classed as a biohazard/medical waste and therefore unrecyclable?

I dont fancy the thought of drinking from a plastic cup made from recycled tampon applicators!