BENGALURU: The sight of used sanitary pads and tampons dumped on the city streets would worry Renuka Govind, a teacher. “The thought that civic workers would have to touch them to clear the litter also bothered me,” she said.
That is when the 29-year-old decided to use
menstrual cups
, which are non-biodegradable in nature. She has been using them for a year now.
Renuka is not alone. There is a growing tribe of environment-conscious
women
who have moved from sanitary pads and tampons to menstrual cups.
Odette Katrak, co-founder of Beautiful Bengaluru initiative which strives for a cleaner and greener city, heard about the cups over two years ago. Since then, the 53-year-old has been trying to raise awareness about the environment-friendly option. Like Renuka, Odette said the compelling reason behind shunning pads was the thought that waste collectors would have to collect them with their hands most of the time.
She has been persuading women to shift to reusable menstrual cups, just like everyone is opting for reusable water bottles and shopping bags. “My maid has opted for it too once she realised it was convenient and cost-effective. She is delighted with it now,” Odette said.
The menstrual cups, priced between Rs 600 and Rs over 1,600, are like a one-time investment. “I bought one for Rs 600 and 10 months later, I’m still using it. I read one cup can be used for 10 years. Just think about the money being saved,” Renuka reasoned.
“Menstrual cups are for those who want to do their share of good for the planet,” said Rashmi Gowda, an activist.
Doctors said there are no health hazards while using menstrual cups and felt their usage depends on an individual’s choice and comfort. “It can definitely be used by a woman if she is comfortable with it,” said Dr Anu Sridhar, a city-based gynaecologist.
What’s the day aboutMenstrual Hygiene Day
is an annual awareness day on May 28 to highlight the importance of menstrual hygiene management. It was initiated by German-based NGO Wash United in 2014.
“Since a woman’s normal menstrual cycle is 28 days, May 28 was chosen as the day,” Odette explained.