To wonder these bags are

[WhitePhantom]

OK, I have to make a confession first. Up until recently I always flushed tampons - I had never really thought about it and nobody had ever told me I shouldn't. It just seemed such an obvious thing to do. Then I discovered on mn that I shouldn't. That I should bag it and bin it instead.

So I started to look for bags for this purpose, but I can't find them. I'm using nappy bags, sandwich bags, small freezer bags, or whatever.

Are there not bags made specifically for this purpose, that are sold alongside all the rest of the women's sanitary products??

no more Soap and Glory facewash for me either

I'm not sure what face wash you're using, I know there are a few different ones, but the stuff in my soap and glory face wash break down as your rub into your face. It's blue and called something like face soap and clarity.

Looks good, thanks for sharing, Chardonnay.

Also, I never knew you shouldn't flush tampons either.

Oh please don't worry, I'm not troubling the environment with plastic. I rarely use any exfoliating gubbins & the stuff I do have is a bit 'worthy' - all natural, nut shells or some such. I'm surprised they're allowed to use bits of plastic.

Don't you just pop them in the wrappings of the next tampon?

I am totally agog that people think it's OK to flush pads down the loo.

Would you put your baby's nappy down the loo?

Still it keep drainage engineers in business I suppose. My dad was called out to a blocked drain once - wet wipes which had been continuously used for toddlers bums flushed down the loo and blocked the lot.

I once drunkenly flushed my mooncup down the loo

I'm not only amazed at the people who think you can flush tampons but also at the number of posters still using them. Surely if you are using tampons, you can use a Mooncup or equivalent. Then no need to worry about flushing, wrapping etc. Just a regular wash and a good scrub once a month.

Was at a friend's house once when her cat 'rescued' a used applicator from the bin in the loo and brought it through to the sittings room to play with

My girl uses biodegradable dog bags.

Since I began throwing rather than flushing (12 years ago following new sewage pipe being laid and the experience of the old pipe,seemingly solidly packed with tampons,lying on the drive for 3 days til the skip was removed), I have wondered why the manufacturer doesn't supply the new tampon in a re-cyclable wrapper that could more easily be used to pop the "full" tampon into before disposal. Logical surely? However, loo roll works well.

I always put tampons in the bins, but now use a moon cup. I never get why people think they're icky. No towel or tampon sitting in a bin, then a landfill. (Though now I see they're probably the people who flush them away and think they magically disappear).

Last month my son was playing on the beach and when I wandered over I found one of the things he was playing with was a plastic applicator someone had obviously flushed down the toilet. Nice. Think, people.

I'm fifty and only read on an Aldi applicator pack of tampons yesterday that you should not flush them. So this thread is going to make me change my ways.

I think when I first started using tampons it said to flush them and that is what I continued to do.

I knew about the plastic beads floating on the oceans, I knew about the wet wipes bunging up the treatment works but honestly had never thought about flushing tampons. Terrible really.

I'm not only amazed at the people who think you can flush tampons but also at the number of posters still using them

People find different things comfortable and what works for you might not necessarily work for someone else. I've tried to use other things and nothing worked for me like tampons do. Maybe one day I'll try those out again but for now I'm happy using tampons.

I can believe believe people didn't k ow not to flush them either. I feel guilty flushing flushable toilet wipes!

I didn't know till now you shouldn't flush tampons I thought the signs in public loos were for idiots trying to flush pads etc but for no known reason thought tampons were still ok! Feeling slightly very stupid now. I have looked at getting a mooncup just not had the mental capacity (due to two non-sleeping babies) to actually decide which one and buy!

wigglewoggle I think you'll find you will. Right around the time the good looking 20 something plumber fishes them out of your pipework and your DD nearly dies on the spot of embarrassment. Speaking from bitter experience there btw.

I discovered FabLittleBags right here on Mumsnet. They did a MN user test not long ago. They are sanitary bags made for tampon and pad disposal and are bio-degradable, so no green guilt. Also, unlike those horrid nappy sacks (we don't wear nappies!) they are not see-through and seal properly closed.

I know we should all be out and proud about having periods but personally I don't want to leave a little present in someone else's bin, with everything on display. It's a much nicer experience with a proper bag.

We're not supposed to flush tampons for the same reason that we shouldn't flush wipes - it bungs up the sewers. If you don't care about the resulting pollution of rivers, you may care about the roadworks as your water company dig up the blocked pipes!

I remember learning at school that it was ok to flush tampons. Evidently it wouldn't be ok to flush plastic applicators, or pads (especially given that they are mostly plastic backed) or wipes, but I genuinely thought tampons would degrade quickly and were therefore a non-issue. So much to learn from Mumsnet. Well done to the pp who suggested that this is picked up by Mumsnet campaigns.

You only read the instructions on the tampon box when you first start using them. Back in the day, when I were a lass, the advice was to flush them away. The official line has now changed, and now there is a tiny toilet symbol crossed out on the pack, indicating that you shouldn't flush - but who reads that? And then mums tell their daughters the old advice and so it goes on.

Honestly, I had no idea not to flush tampons. Anyhoo, I've recently switched to mooncup and I TOTALLY RECOMMEND to all. So so fab!

I'm surprised that people are surprised that some don't realise you can't flush tampons! To be fair I've not had a period in years (breastfeeding and coil) but if I were to use a tampon tomorrow (and I'd not been on mumsnet and read this thread) then I would have flushed. That was the packaging advice when I started using them and I wouldn't think it would have changed.

I definitely think there needs to be more awareness rather than sanctimony and people being ridiculed for not knowing!

lovely little bags there but Morrisons sell biodegradable dog poo bags for £1

I wish everyone knew not to flush wipes, tampons and nappies! I had a flat on the end of a terrace and the sewer pipe would get blocked about three times a year with them, flushed by other people in the street. So, my time and expense etc spent dealing with companies to come and unblock. Such a hassle. The people flushing them would not be affected at all. Makes me so annoyed just thinking about it!

I did not know this! The pack always said flush the applicator too :( have I been living as a vegetarian and killing fish at the same time also wtf is a mooncup?