To not understand the issue with 'tampon tax'?

[QuackPorridgeBacon]

Here me out. I will admit I don't understand it much and any insight would be great. I don't see an issue with a tax though.

I understand that things like razors and alcohol jellies (?) aren't taxed and I can see why that is annoying. We also don't choose to have periods so I get that argument too. Aren't they nasty to dispose of though? Wouldn't the tax just be paying those who are sorting through it all and disposing of it appropriately? Or am I being seriously thick?

I know I could go and do a google search and probably find answers but honestly, I'd rather ask on here as I'm lazy.

How does someone rinse out reusable pads if they are using public / work toilets with communal sinks? In front of everyone? Doesn't blood get all over the sink where people are washing their hands

Run it under cold water, wring it out, run again, wring it out again, pop in cloth bag, wipe down sink if there are any splashes and wash hands.

I can do it quicker than it takes someone to reapply their lipstick or brush their hair.

How does someone rinse out reusable pads if they are using public / work toilets with communal sinks? In front of everyone? Doesn't blood get all over the sink where people are washing their hands

Run it under cold water, wring it out, run again, wring it out again, pop in cloth bag, wipe down sink if there are any splashes and wash hands.

I can do it quicker than it takes someone to reapply their lipstick or brush their hair.

Justanotherlurker

Hmm. I had a quick search and it seems that Irish laws do tax sales of sanitary products, but at 0%. They can continue to do this because that's what they did prior to Ireland's EC entry and they've never changed their law.

Britain did, so the legal minimum tax is 5% (until and if there is a relatively hard brexit).

Think I'll keep my mouth shut from now on.

Run it under cold water, wring it out, run again, wring it out again, pop in cloth bag, wipe down sink if there are any splashes and wash hands.

You put blood down a public washhand sink???!!!

Jesus- seriously unhygienic and gross.

Most building have safe procedures for dealing blood spillages.
Blood in a sink designed for washing hands is a public health concern.

The communal sinks thing is definitely an issue - I use a mooncup and I admit I use the disabled loo if I need to empty it during the working day, which I mostly don't. There are lots of workplaces where that wouldn't be possible and the only option is a row of communal sinks where other people are going in and out all the time.

I do find my period is less painful with mooncup vs tampon, but I think that's because the mooncup is softer and more flexible. I find it's less painful when I wear towels vs tampons too (but I hate towels!) - I think the fairly solid mass of a tampon makes cramps worse for me.

I can't believe people are so irresponsible as to put blood in a public wash hand basin

"Spillages of blood and other body fluids may transmit blood borne viruses. Body fluids, including blood, feces, and vomit are all considered potentially contaminated with bloodborne or other germs. Therefore, spills of these fluids should be cleaned up and the contaminated surfaces disinfected immediately.
Spillages must be decontaminated immediately by staff trained to undertake this safely.
Responsibilities for the decontamination of blood and body fluid spillages should be clear within each area"

Blood spillages in supermarket floors , workplaces, other public places are dealt with very seriously.
Staff undertake special training to deal with these potentially infectious fluids.

In rinsing out a mooncup or blood soaked pad will contaminate the sink, tap and walls.

I would be horrified if someone at my workplace was doing this in a place designated for washing hands.

A sink in a toilet is not a sluice facility.

It's beyond grim.

er... so if I'm changing a tampon & get blood on my hand, I can't wash it off in a sink?

What if I just get a bad papercut? Am I allowed to drip some blood then?

By that rational then are you suggesting it's OK to urinate in a wash hand basin?

You put blood down a public washhand sink???!!!

Jesus- seriously unhygienic and gross

Now where did I say that?!

I don't work in a public place and I don't think I've ever changed in a public toilet.

You've made it clear, super clear, that you are anti reusable pads. Fine, whatever. But please PLEASE afford me some respect and stop trying to shame me for what I CHOOSE to use.

Making out I'm a walking health hazard. Just say you don't agree and move on, stop trying to belittle my choice. All your doing is coming across as super narrow-minded and as though your way is the only way. It isn't.

I can't believe people are so irresponsible as to put blood in a public wash hand basin

Don't work in a public place, don't change in a public toilet.

So by that rational then are you suggesting it's OK to urinate in a wash hand basin?

Oh you're STILL trying to bait me?!

No. Why you acting like an idiot? Are you bored?

I'm not anti resusable pads.

I am anti restriction of choice.

To suggest that the answer to the tampon tax is to have everyone using washable pads is seriously missing the point.

To suggest that the answer to the tampon tax is to have everyone using washable pads is seriously missing the point

I never suggested that in the first place though, I simply said I use them and why I use them. The OP was the one, I think, that suggested it.

Your anti restriction of choice yet criticise mine for three posts in a row?! Ok!

And fwiw, I lied, I have changed once in a public place and I went into the cubicle, swapped pads and folded the used one up (they actually fold backwards into a square keeping the soiled side closed up) popped it in a nappy sack then put it in my little bag that I used to keep my DS's wet/soiled re-useable nappies in, take it home, out it in the soaking box for an hour then wash.

I then wash my hands in the sink which is no different to someone changing a disposable pad/tampon.

Don't get me wrong, I was a bit yuck when I first researched them, now it's second nature, saves money, better for my personal health and suits me. At no point did I insist they should replace one wear stuff.

I don't have problems with reusables.

I do have problems with women washing them and emptying mooncups in public hand basins.

It's very sad - but what I find the most depressing aspect about this thread is the woeful lack of understanding of VAT

I do have problems with women washing them and emptying mooncups in public hand basins

Well I don't do that. The mooncup lady doesn't do that.

So who exactly is your problem with?!

I don't think I've ever seen anyone rinse a pad in public toilets to be honest. In fact, you would be hard pushed to know if someone re used unless they told you so why you are so uppity about it...

Why don't you concentrate your disgust on the next person you see doing and tell them.

*Run it under cold water, wring it out, run again, wring it out again, pop in cloth bag, wipe down sink if there are any splashes and wash hands.

I can do it quicker than it takes someone to reapply their lipstick or brush their hair.*

But you explained exactly how you do it.

The communal sinks thing is definitely an issue - I use a mooncup and I admit I use the disabled loo if I need to empty it

And clearly other posters have similar habits.

Actually no. Mostly it gets emptied in to the toilet and doesn't need to be rinsed. But our ladies cubicles are tiny - very narrow- which makes it awkward as fuck position wise.

Especially when you're new to using one you can end up getting some blood on your own hands. If that happens it's embarrassing dealing with it over communal sinks. And our disabled loo has cleaning supplies in it too.

That said, in the average office you'll have a bunch of people who don't wash their hands, papercuts and worse being rinsed in the sink, maybe a breastfeeding mother pumping and then rinsing out the pump...and a cleaner who might pop in once or twice a day. If you're lucky.

But you explained exactly how you do it.

Fucks sake, read it fucking properly. That's how you clean them in a sink? Did I say I do it in a public sink, no, no I didn't.

And I wear lipstick and brush my hair and I've seen others do it so I know I'm quicker!!

And you empty a mooncup down the loo.

Fucks sake. Your irritating me now. Picking holes for no reason, all because of your disgust.

Get a grip and quit trying to shame!!!!

And clearly other posters have similar habits

She said she uses the disabled loo. She uses the toilet in there. NOT THE SINK.

You are clearly anti reusable despite saying you are not as you against all the reasons that go hand in hand for using them.

Op do you realise thousands of girls in the U.K. a year are missing school as they can't afford sanitary items?

I do have problems with women washing them and emptying mooncups in public hand basins

Tough luck, because people do, and there is nothing you can do about it.

I've used reusables for the past few years and never had to rinse them out in the sink. They're highly absorbent so nothing to rinse away. Just fold them up until you can stick them in the washing machine. So much more pleasant than stinky disposables hanging around. Disposables create a massive amount of waste - they damn right should be taxed.

I do have problems with women washing them and emptying mooncups in public hand basins

I have a problem having to practically sit on top of a bin full of used sanitary products to pee. Often it's overflowing or people cba to use it properly and there are tampons and pads half hanging out.

They are always so close to the loo as to be touching it. At least handbasins can be rinsed down so it's less likely to turn into a festering pit of decomposing blood and bacteria.

Massive plus to mooncups for me. No emptying bins full of other peoples bodily fluids.

It sounds like the collective wisdom of Mumsnet is wear reusable pads, wash them in a unisex toilet shared by men and watch that glass ceiling get even tougher.

VAT is designed to tax luxuries at a higher rate. That's what it's such a weird tax and checking the rates in the legislation is such a pain. Is it in this list? That list? Other list? Ok, probably standard rated.

All sanitary ware is essential. It is hard enough being taken seriously as a woman without bleeding on everything and washing out cups of blood in front of male senior management.

The suggestion to ringfence the VAT collected from sanitary ware and give to women's charities would have been a good one - but our tampon tax is now being used to fund anti abortion groups.