According to a new study by the University of La Plata in Argentina,most tampons (at least 85 per cent), cotton balls and sanitary products contain glyphosate: an ingredient that has been ruled as “probably carcinogenic” by the World Health Organization, notes RT news.
“The result of this research is very serious. When you use cotton or gauze to heal wounds or [for personal hygienic uses] thinking they are sterilized products, [the result is that they are] contaminated with a carcinogenic substance,” said pediatrician Vazquez Medardo Avila in the Spanish study.
The study notes, in cotton, for example, most of it is genetically modified and sprayed with glyphosate which is passed on to the product.
And because the feminine hygiene industry does not disclose the ingredients put into pads or tampons, there is no data for women to consider possible health effects, the Guardian notes.
One way to work around this is by purchasing organic pads and tampons, however as the video mentions above, these products are often expensive and not accessible to many women. You can also use other products like menstrual cups that are made with non-toxic materials like silicone.
