How are Menstrual and Intimate Care Products Regulated?

Original Article by Women’s Voices for the Earth, cited below.

SUMMARY BY SIMPLY THE BASICS

Since menstrual products are used in some of the most intimate and sensitive parts of a body there must be a ton of regulation surrounding the products, right? WRONG.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require the ingredients used in menstrual products to meet any kind of safety standard or ban the use of harmful ingredients from these products, nor are menstrual product companies required to include ingredients on their label.

Testing has found menstrual products can contain harmful chemicals like phthalates, dioxins, furans, parabens, triclosan, toluene, and more.

The only label warning that is required on a tampon is for Toxic Shock Syndrome and absorbency level, but not the ingredients inside the product.

Intimate care products can contain harmful chemicals like phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde releasers, and allergens like MI and CMI. There are no requirements for ingredients used in cosmetics to meet any kind of specific safety standard. That means ingredients known to cause or linked to cancer, birth defects, infertility, and neurological disorders, etc. are legally allowed to be used in cosmetics.

What is the solution?

While we know that not everyone can afford 100% cotton menstrual products or the “green” products that are becoming more prominent, we can be informed as Hygiene Distributors and continue the conversations for more transparency around our hygiene products ensuring they are safe and of quality. When possible, we can build relationships with menstrual manufactures that are creating safe products and request in-kind donations for distributions.

Citation: McConnell, J. (2021, July 21). How are menstrual and intimate care products regulated? - WVE. Women's Voices for the Earth. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://www.womensvoices.org/2021/05/10/how-are-menstrual-and-intimate-care-products-regulated/