How to Dispose off Sanitary Pads

The most important part of when kids hit puberty is ensuring hygiene. Sanitary pads disposal is one of the most vital things to be aware of once you begin menstruation. As a thumb rule, sanitary pads should never be flushed down the toilet because it may clog the drainage system and lead to flooding of the toilet. After use, a disposable sanitary pad or a tampon should be wrapped in a newspaper or toilet paper and put in a garbage bin. Furthermore, while a soiled sanitary pad is the result of a normal process, many individuals may feel disgusted at the sight of menstrual blood.

Medical waste such as sanitary napkins, are thrown as domestic waste and must be manually separated from other recyclables. Prior to the menstrual pads being buried in landfills outside cities, the garbage pickers are exposed to microorganisms. It is important to note that, in addition to cotton, sanitary pads include plastic and other substances. These menstrual pads are not eco-friendly because the plastic composition is non-biodegradable. The 90% plastic composition of these sanitary pads keeps them there for many years.

It is also necessary to dispose the contents of the garbage bin promptly because if the sanitary pad is left in the garbage bin for a long time, the menstrual fluid on these on the sanitary napkins may get contaminated with germs and emit a foul smell. Hence, first it is necessary to keep the garbage bin covered to prevent the foul smell from spreading in your house and secondly, the contents of the garbage bin should be disposed promptly to prevent spread of diseases by flies and other insects that gather around these garbage bins.

Having the right knowledge on sanitary pad disposal is important from a hygienic as well as an environmental point of view.

There are separate containers for dry and wet garbage in most homes. Neither party is responsible for soiled sanitary napkins. They are considered biohazardous garbage. As a result, the first step in safely disposing sanitary pads is to keep a separate bin for them.

Inside your bin, place a disposable lining and gather used menstrual pads. This will keep the soiled pads from being trashed into the collected rubbish and getting mixed with the rest of the dry/wet garbage. You can label these bags as biohazard waste.

Fold and wrap the menstrual pad carefully in toilet or newspaper before discarding it. You might also wrap it in the plastic or in the cover of the next pad you will use. This will not only keep the stench, bacteria, and flies away from the unattractive pads, but it will also keep them covered.

• Make sure the bin you are throwing the sanitary napkins into has a lid. Fold the bag's mouth inside to close it every time you throw away a used sanitary pad, and then cover the bin securely. This will also keep odour and insects at bay and deter curious children or playful pets from peering into the containers.

It is an absolute no-no to flush sanitary napkins as they can clog the pipeline.

Now that you have learnt why it is important to properly dispose the menstrual pads and the ways of pad disposal, here are some tips on how to go about the disposal of sanitary napkins in different situations.

If you're not changing your pad as it's the end of your period, roll it up so none of the menstrual fluid is visible and then throw it away. Before throwing your sanitary napkin in the trash, you might want to wrap it in a toilet paper

Disposing of sanitary pads at a friend's house or outside is similar to disposing of sanitary napkins at home. If you don't have a wrapper, you should wrap your rolled-up pad in toilet. It is never a pleasant experience to open the trash can and see someone else's menstrual blood.

You can wrap your used pad in the wrapper of the new pad if you're changing. Whisper Ultra sanitary pad wrappers include a handy tab closure that's perfect for this. Simply take your used menstrual pad, place it in the wrapper, roll it up, and secure it.

When you're at home, disposing of sanitary pads is simple, and you can do it however you choose. The rest is up to you as long as you follow the golden rule of sanitary pad disposal — trash it, don't flush it! If you're the only one who uses and cleans your restroom, feel free to throw your used pad into the trash. Alternatively, you might want to wrap up the pad, utilizing the sticky back to do so, so that no menstrual fluid shows on top.