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Ethical living

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Original poster

Sorry for TMI - but how EXACTLY do you/should you dispose of tampons?

23 replies

HeliumBee · 05/02/2009 16:56

Sorry about this - but what do you do with the applicator bit and what do you do with the actual tampon bit???

Flush/bin/burn? Other?!?!

(Yes I do plan to use Mooncups soon but what with b feeding and pregnancy for 2 children this is only the second period Ive had in 4 years so just seeing how I go for now!!)

Thanks!

OP posts:

KatyMac · 05/02/2009 18:22

Wrap it in toilet paper & throw in the bin (both bits)

ramonaquimby · 05/02/2009 18:23

you could get non applicator ones? I sometimes flush when I can't be bothered - or might depend on where I am as well.

Gemzooks · 05/02/2009 20:15

wrap in loo roll and bin it

Oovavu · 05/02/2009 20:19

wot katymac and Genzooks said. I use a mooncup too now but if I ever needed a tampon again I just can't face the thought of flushing and it reappearing off the coast somewhere past someone's face as they're swimming along [ack]

herbietea · 05/02/2009 20:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 05/02/2009 20:29

never flush any of it.

I use a mooncup 98% of the time but on odd occasion may resort to a tampon e.g. if at work.

At a real push I think it is okish to flush the cardboard applicators (they kind of disintegrate) but not the actual tampon and certainly not the compact/plastic applicators.

Anyone remember years ago (or am I too old - born early 70s) when sanitary towels were supposedly flushable? It said so on the packets and the insides of them kind of dissolved in the loo but the plastic waterproof bit didn't . Often if you were visiting friends etc (ime) and tried to flush they wouldn't flush properly.

GreenMonkies · 05/02/2009 20:30

DP works for a water company processing waste water (the posh term for sewage works!!) and he says that tampons get mulched up and filtered out and the tissue/fluff is compacted and sent to landfill. As far as I/he knows no sewage is flushed directly into the sea anymore, but I guess you'd have to check with your local water company to find out for sure.

As far as I am concerned, if you use tampons the most "eco" way to dispose of them is to flush them. All the "body fluids" get washed away and cleaned up in waste water processing and the remaining mashed up (essentially clean) fluff is sent to landfill. Any tampons thrown direct in the bin are sent to landfill, but are still full of "body fluids" and as such are adding to landfill and a bio-hazard.

I use a mooncup now, but if I was ever caught out and had to use a tampon I'd go for a non-applicator one and flush it afterwards.

mrsbabookaloo · 05/02/2009 20:31

At least if you use tampons, use non-applicator and then there's only one bit to get rid of. And yes, I always bin and haven't flushed a tampon for years.

Anyway, applicators....eeeewww. But, each to her own....

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 05/02/2009 20:33

That's interesting thanks GreenMonkies.

How long has your dp worked in that line of work? I was just wondering if he was aware if people's "flushing habits" have changed over the years? e.g. as I mentioned on previous post people used to flush loads of sanitary towels and pant liners etc. (I am sure lots of people still do but I wonder if it is less prevalent)

Sorry for the yucky questions!

callmeovercautious · 05/02/2009 20:39

That's really interesting GreenMonkies. I have always thrown mine in a little bin I keep just for that purpose beside the loo. (DH lets me empty that one on bin night!).

I am off to do some searching - I suppose the technology at "water treatment plants" has evolved like everything.

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 05/02/2009 20:41

callmeovercautious let us know of the results of your searching...I have only just had my dinner so don't fancy looking myself at present.

Your dh is good to you isn't he, letting you empty your special little bin!

callmeovercautious · 05/02/2009 20:42

Bless him - he is great - but says he draws the line there

bodiddly · 05/02/2009 20:43

I always flush and throw applicator in bin.

Ingles2 · 05/02/2009 20:44

I throw in the bin too, but that's because we have a cess pit and lots of tissues, tampons, wipes cause a horrible crust and blockages

NorbertDentressangle · 05/02/2009 20:46

Even if it were eco-friendly to flush you also have to consider your drains - how do you think companies like DynoRod make their money?

It doesn't take much to block some systems.

I wrap and bin.

GreenMonkies · 05/02/2009 21:32

OK, I am talking to DP on IM (he's working nights) and I have asked him for details. Here are some of his gems of wisdom!

they do get about on site, and can block things up, but most of them end up in the landfill with the bog roll etc. Most of it disintegrates and you can see it in the sludge, but a some of it does stay matted together and comes out in the screens, in theory anything larger than 6mm in the inlet works is captured.

nothing goes direct from drains into the sea any more like it used to, except on some treatment works where high/storm flows bypass the works to an overflow. but i am sure that all works now have some sort of screening in their storm overflow. i could be wrong though, all of our incoming flows on our site are screened and de-gritted, but to be honest, sometimes it does get out there

And he sent me this link news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7872037.stm

To be honest I think we should get yellow "clinical waste" bags to put used san-pro and dispoable nappies in, which can then be either composted or incinerated, but definately not just dumped on landfill. I mean really, how gross and unhygenic is it to leave bits of blood soaked tissue and little packets of untreated human sewage out in the open for seagulls and foxes etc to pick over? Yuck!!!

Gemzooks · 05/02/2009 21:36

don't forget about the water used to flush them away, though, and the cost/impact of processing in the water treatment plant.. might be better in the rubbish, I don't know, or compost?

brazenhussy · 05/02/2009 21:55

Because there are three woman in our house - me and two teen daughters and between us we get through so many sanitary products; I bought a nappy disposel system just for that purpose.

The cassettes last ages because tampons and towels are small compared to nappies and it's so easy to empty.

mumtoone · 05/02/2009 22:15

I work in the Water Industry and can confirm that not all storm overflows have screens on them so tampons can and do end up in rivers/the sea. Please do not flush them.

GreenMonkies · 05/02/2009 22:45

Or better still, don't use tampons!!

Or compost them, or burn them, rather than sending them to a landfill site.

madlentileater · 06/02/2009 09:15

wouldn't fancy composting them.
What happens to the stuff in the nappy disposal system? doesn't it just go to landfill?
This is sounding like washable/mooncups are the way to go....but am feeling too OLD to invest in a mooncup!

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 06/02/2009 12:19

I have been following this thread and would like to say thanks to GreenMonkies dp and his words of advice/information.

I would imagine (but may be wrong) that he doesn't get a huge number of opportunities to talk about these aspects of his work to interested women.

Although as I don't know Mr GreenMonkies or his dp perhaps they have some rather interesting dinner parties.

GreenMonkies · 06/02/2009 14:12

Sprout, with my background in Livestock Farming and my current career in the NHS, and his job in waste water, you can imagine we could put most people off thier dinner!!

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