TAMPONS ARE *NOT* FLUSHABLE

[SandingWithMyUnshavenLegs]

I cannot believe the number of women nonchalantly stating somewhere on MN that they have always flushed their tampons, and expressing mild, disinterested surprise at the notion this is not okay.

So.

Stop flushing them. They are not flushable.

Cheers.

@pinkmink I certainly would like it if all sanpro were flushable! Interesting point about it being a feminist issue, although not sure it could persuade me to flush. I’d be all for making them flushable and improving the system so that it can accommodate them.

Another here who was definitely told at school and at home to flush them, mid 90s. I learnt otherwise about 2 years ago () right here on MN and have since used dog-poo sanitary bags and then into the bathroom bin, emptied daily.

We were taught to flush them in the early 90s. Switched to mooncup now but I’m sure most people still flush.

@Clymene

Contributing to climate change is one thing. Knowing that little kids are going to be paddling among your used tampons is another *@80sMum*

@Clymene I haven't used tampons for 14 years, but were I a menstruating woman today I would probably try a mooncup - or if using tampons would find a way to dispose of them without flushing. I think they've changed in that they now contain plastic. They never used to. I think they were cotton originally.

But if I'm at a friend's house. Holding a piece of string which has a lump of cotton dripping with blood on it, what do I do?
This is a nice house the bathroom waste paper basket (if it exists) is open and pretty and has no innerbag. I can wrap in toilet roll but the blood will seep through. Do you carry plastic bags/nappy sacks to put them in, till you get home/find a bin?

We have this issue in mils immaculate house. She does not do bathroom bins and they have a shared septic tank too, go figure. Fortunately I mainly use towels, so wrap them in loo roll, and store them in a placcy bag until I can dispose of them (the dustbin is at the end of the lane too). The problem will come if a visit coincides with DD's period, she is heavy and uses tampons, so far it hasn't happened.

As the Tampax website points out - how on earth could you make something that will absorb menstrual flow for several hours without disintegrating but then magically dissipate quickly in the sewers without clogging filters or getting trapped in fatbergs? It was never going to be possible regardless of whether you used cotton, paper fluff or plastic.

@SilverRingahBells

As the Tampax website points out - how on earth could you make something that will absorb menstrual flow for several hours without disintegrating but then magically dissipate quickly in the sewers without clogging filters or getting trapped in fatbergs? It was never going to be possible regardless of whether you used cotton, paper fluff or plastic.

Well the website may say that now but the box used to say the exact opposite

I'm one of those people that was taught the same as well about flushing, but I've known for years that you can't.

Same with flushable wipes not actually being flushable.

I've been thinking about this and how do we go about trying to get a campaign out? Would writing to our mps do anything? Water companies?Tampon companies? I'm really not sure but if anyone could point me in the right direction ide be grateful.

I started my periods circa 2008 and they have said at least since then not to flush them, this is not new advice. Could be made more obvious on the box for the older generation perhaps, like when food changes ingredients and they put an allergy warning on the front.