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99-466: Tampon tax (or period tax ) is a popular term used to call attention to tampons , and other feminine hygiene products, being subject to value-added tax (VAT) or sales tax , unlike the tax exemption status granted to other products considered basic necessities. Proponents of tax exemption argue that tampons, menstrual pads , menstrual cups and comparable products constitute basic, unavoidable necessities for women, and any additional taxes constitute

198-446: A Tampon Tax amendment proposed by Paula Sherriff MP, the then Chancellor George Osborne pledged in his budget to make menstrual products exempt from sales tax. VAT on sanitary products was abolished on 1 January 2021 in the UK. Coryton co-founded 'Sex Ed Matters', a Relationship and Sex Education social enterprise, in 2019. The organisation, which she runs with her twin sister Julia,

297-403: A life-cycle assessment (LCA) comparison of the environmental impact of tampons and sanitary pads. They found that the main environmental impact of the products was in fact caused by the processing of raw materials, particularly LDPE (low density polyethylene) – or the plastics used in the backing of pads and tampon applicators, and cellulose production . As production of these plastics requires

396-564: A luxury tax to tampons at a higher rate than GST. Specific petitions such as "Axe the Tampon Tax" have been created to oppose this tax, and the tax was removed in 2019. In the UK , tampons are subject to a zero rate of value added tax (VAT), as opposed to the standard rate of 20% applied to the vast majority of products sold in the country. The UK was previously bound by the EU VAT directive, which required

495-407: A pink tax . Proponents of tax exemption argue that tampons, sanitary napkins , menstrual cups and other products which serve the basic menstrual cycle constitute unavoidable necessities for women and should be classified alongside other unavoidable, tax-exempt necessities, such as groceries and personal medical items. The BBC estimates that women need to use feminine hygiene products for about

594-470: A 13% sales tax, the same as for most consumer items. Aapproximately 88% of women in India are unable to acquire safe menstrual products because of a lack of capital access. The menstrual products are not thought to be essential, therefore overpriced, and out of reach for over 70% of Indian women who menstruate. Supporters of the exemption of said taxes are calling their efforts "menstrual equity", explaining it as

693-526: A bill to remove the tampon tax in early 2016. At this time, only a handful of the country's states exempted tampons, and several others had no state sales tax. Garcia held that women were taxed "for being women" and bore an economic burden for having no other choice but to buy these products. Garcia and Chang added that the tax was "regulatory discrimination" that disproportionately affected poor women and women of color, and that it likely persisted due to social taboos against discussing menstruation. Both houses of

792-917: A box of tampons typically costs between $ 7 and $ 12 USD and contains 16 to 40 tampons, depending on the brand and size. This means users might spend between $ 63 and $ 108 annually on tampons alone, assuming the need for around 9 boxes per year. This corresponds to an average cost of approximately $ 0.22–$ 0.75 per tampon, reflecting price increases of up to 33% since the pandemic Activists call the problem some women have when not being able to afford products " period poverty ". Also referred to as "tampon tax," where sales tax applies to menstrual products in certain U.S. states. As of 2024, 23 states exempt these products, while others impose taxes up to 7%. Local taxes can also apply, adding further costs. States like Texas recently abolished this tax. Some states provide free tampons and pads in public schools and prisons, helping alleviate period poverty. Menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS)

891-552: A campaign to support homeless women's access to menstrual products. Coryton started the Stop Taxing Periods campaign in May 2014 while a student at Goldsmiths. The campaign was centred around an online petition on campaign hosting website Change.org . By early 2016 the petition had gained more than 320,000 signatures and global recognition. Stop Taxing Periods also used protests, demonstration and viral social media. In 2015

990-401: A cord or string for removal. The majority of tampons sold are made of rayon, or a blend of rayon and cotton . Organic cotton tampons are marketed as 100% cotton, but they may have plastic covering the cotton core. Tampons may also come in scented or unscented varieties. Tampons are available in several absorbency ratings, which are consistent across manufacturers in the U.S. These differ in

1089-679: A legal duty on the local authorities to make period products available free of cost. With this act Scotland became the first country in the world to provide universal access to free period products. Menstrual hygiene products are considered by many states within the United States as "tangible individual property" resulting in additional sales tax. This additional tax increases the overall price and further limits accessibility to menstrual hygiene products to lower-income women. These products are classified as medical devices but are not eligible for purchase through government funded assistance programs. In

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1188-556: A legal duty to ensure that tampons and sanitary pads are available freely to "anyone who needs them". The bill was introduced by Labour MSP Monica Lennon who began campaigning to end period poverty in 2016. She stated that "Periods don't stop for pandemics and the work to improve access to essential tampons, pads and reusables has never been more important". The measure requires the provision of free period products in schools, colleges, and universities, as well as football clubs, restaurants, pubs, and public concert halls. The act will impose

1287-409: A lot of energy and creates long-lasting waste, the main impact from the life cycle of these products is fossil fuel use, though the waste produced is significant in its own right. The menstrual material was disposed according to the type of product, and even based on cultural beliefs. This was done regardless of giving any importance to the location and proper techniques of disposal. In some areas of

1386-665: A minimum of 5% VAT on sanitary products. Since 1 January 2021, VAT applied to menstrual sanitary products has been 0%. In Canada, the federal government has removed the goods and services tax (GST) and harmonized sales tax (HST) from tampons and other menstrual hygiene products as of 1 July 2015. In the US, access to menstrual products such as pads and tampons and taxes added on these products, have also been controversial topics especially when it comes to people with low income. Laws for exempting such taxes differ vastly from state to state. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has published

1485-475: A possible use to detect endometrial cancer . Endometrial cancer does not currently have effective cancer screening methods if an individual is not showing symptoms. Tampons not only absorb menstrual blood, but also vaginal fluids. The vaginal fluids absorbed in the tampons would also contain the cancerous DNA, and possibly contain precancerous material, allowing for earlier detection of endometrial cancer. Clinical trials are currently being conducted to evaluate

1584-651: A report discussing these laws and listing the different guidelines followed by institutions such as schools, shelters, and prisons when providing menstrual goods. Laura Coryton Laura also runs the Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) social enterprise Sex Ed Matters , dedicated to making quality and confidence-building sex education accessible to everyone, for which she won UKRI's Young Innovator Award 2023 and Women in Innovation Award 2024 . She began her career in frontline politics in 2024 when she stood as

1683-480: A seller, manufacturer, and spokesperson in 1933. Tenderich hired women to manufacture the item and then hired two sales associates to market the product to drugstores in Colorado and Wyoming, and nurses to give public lectures on the benefits of the creation, and was also instrumental in inducing newspapers to run advertisements. In 1945, Tampax presented a number of studies to prove the safety of tampons. A 1965 study by

1782-657: A social movement that strives for feminine products like tampons to be considered necessities. Activists are often led by members of the government. At the beginning of 2016, councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland led a movement with a tampon tax pilot project ultimately providing free pads and tampons at a local high school in Queens, New York. Ferreras-Copeland's effort has now been expanded into 25 different schools around New York City. Other democrats including Ydanis Rodriguez and council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito are advocating for state legislature to stop taxing sanitary products. Free

1881-418: A syringe. The applicator consists of two tubes, an "outer", or barrel, and "inner", or plunger. The outer tube has a smooth surface to aid insertion and sometimes comes with a rounded end that is petaled. Differences exist in the way tampons expand when in use: applicator tampons generally expand axially (increase in length), while digital tampons will expand radially (increase in diameter). Most tampons have

1980-409: A tampon in 1860 as: "a less inelegant term for the plug , whether made up of portions of rag, sponge, or a silk handkerchief, where plugging the vagina is had recourse to in cases of hemorrhage." Earle Haas patented the first modern tampon, Tampax , with the tube-within-a-tube applicator. Gertrude Schulte Tenderich (née Voss) bought the patent rights to her company trademark Tampax and started as

2079-596: A tampon tax (ordered by most recent changes to the country's tax system first): In 2016, the United Kingdom proposed that member states should be allowed to decide whether to continue to apply VAT to menstrual hygiene products. This led to the introduction of Directive 2022/542/EC. This modified Annex III of Directive 2006/112/EC allowing "pharmaceutical products used for medical and veterinary purposes, including products used for contraception and female sanitary protection, and absorbent hygiene products" to be zero rated. In

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2178-480: A time delay mechanism to prevent products from being overused and/or abused. In June 2019, menstrual products were exempted from the sales tax in the state budget, but only for the two-year duration of the budget. In July 2021, California passed AB 150, making the menstrual-product tax exemption permanent. In September 2021, California passed AB367, requiring public schools grades 6–12, California State University and community college districts, as well as encouraging

2277-740: A week each month for about 50 years. According to the American Medical Association over 17,000 menstrual hygiene items are needed in a user's lifetime amounting to a cost of around 2,000 dollars. While sales tax policy varies across jurisdictions, these products were typically taxed at the same rate as non-essential goods, such as in the United States, while other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Ireland, reduced or eliminated their general consumption tax on sanitary products. When asked about equivalent exemptions for men, proponents argue that no male products, condoms included, are comparable to feminine hygiene products, since menstruation

2376-430: Is a menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation . Unlike a pad , it is placed internally, inside of the vaginal canal . Once inserted correctly, a tampon is held in place by the vagina and expands as it soaks up menstrual blood. As tampons also absorb the vagina's natural lubrication and bacteria in addition to menstrual blood, they can increase

2475-451: Is a campaign started by Amika George who started a petition aimed at encouraging the UK government to provide low-income families with subsidised menstrual products. This campaign since then has grown exponentially. The Free periods initiative has recently paired up with The Red Box Project, which is a community-based initiative that provides free menstrual products and underwear to young women who struggle financially. The Red Box Projects notes

2574-687: Is a life-threatening disease most commonly caused by infection of superantigen -producing Staphylococcus aureus . The superantigen toxin secreted in S. aureus infections is TSS Toxin-1, or TSST -1. Incidence ranges from 0.03 to 0.50 cases per 100,000 people, with an overall mortality around 8%. mTSS signs and symptoms include fever (greater than or equal to 38.9 °C), rash, desquamation , hypotension ( systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg), and multi-system organ involvement with at least three systems, such as gastrointestinal complications (vomiting), central nervous system (CNS) effects (disorientation), and myalgia . Toxic shock syndrome

2673-408: Is a new measure outlining a solution to offset the feminine product and diaper tax exemption by increasing the tax on hard liquor. This bill was ultimately gutted and amended with provisions on workers' compensation. In 2017, California State Legislature passed AB 10 (Ch. 687) requiring public middle schools and high schools where at least 40% of students meet the federal poverty level to stock half of

2772-605: Is a rare but serious disease that may cause death. Read and save the enclosed information." Such guidelines for package labeling are more lenient when it comes to tampons bought from vending machines. For example, tampons sold in vending machines are not required by the FDA to include labeling such as absorbency ratings or information about TSS. The average person who menstruates uses approximately 11,400 tampons in their lifetime, assuming exclusive use of tampons. Tampon prices have risen due to inflation and supply chain challenges. Currently,

2871-517: Is based on the central tenet that period products should be affordable and accessible to women who menstruate. The movement aims to reduce the stigma around menstruation that has prevented legislative action toward achieving menstrual equity and reproductive education. Significant barriers to menstrual equity are the costs that affect women in shelters, low-income women and their daughters, LGBTQ people with uteruses, and those facing housing insecurity . In 2019, House representative Grace Meng introduced

2970-540: Is believed to be the first country in the world to give out free sanitary products as part of a government-sponsored initiative. Further to this half-year pilot programme, Scotland's opposition Labour Party stated their intention to introduce a bill to make this permanent. A study by the WHO and UNICEF showed that one out of five women in Scotland have been forced to improvise with items including toilet paper and old clothes because of

3069-655: Is biological and "feminine hygiene is not a choice". However, others argue that other basic necessities such as toilet paper are still taxed in many countries, for example in the UK at 20%. As the vast majority of consumers of feminine hygiene products are women, the increased cost has been criticized as being discriminatory against women. The tampon tax is not a special tax levied directly on feminine hygiene products. Since about 2004, many countries have abolished or reduced sales taxes for tampons and pads, including Kenya, Canada, India, Colombia, Australia, Germany, and Rwanda. Below are examples of countries that have or used to have

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3168-560: Is designed to help schools deliver the political aspects of the new RSE curriculum , including period education, consent and LGBT rights, through the means of workshops and resources. For her social enterprise, Laura won Innovate UK's £12,000 Young Innovator Award in 2023 and its £50,000 Unlocking Potential Award in 2024. She has also spoken about the importance of sex education in tackling incel culture and empowering young people at many high profile events, including London Labour's Equalities Conference , Harvard University and Women of

3267-622: Is expected to bring better health and workplace productivity and reduced stigma around the conversation of menstruation. Under Part II of the Canada labour Code, employers are already required to provide toilet paper, soap, warm water, and a way to dry hands. Women or gender non-conforming persons who require menstrual products make up 40% of the federal workforce, and the financial burden of sanitary products rests entirely on them, burdening or severely negatively impacting those who need them, adding required sanitation products will allow for greater equality in

3366-467: Is often in place for other basic need products. Several political statements have been made in regards to tampon use. In 2000, a 10% goods and services tax (GST) was introduced in Australia. While lubricant, condoms, incontinence pads and numerous medical items were regarded as essential and exempt from the tax, tampons continue to be charged GST. Prior to the introduction of GST, several states also applied

3465-523: The California State Legislature voted to exempt tampons from taxation in June 2016, but the bill was vetoed by the state's governor, Jerry Brown , three months later. California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed AB-1561 due to the potential loss of money in taxing feminine hygiene products. In response, Cristina Garcia co-authored AB-0479: Common Cents Tax Reform Act with Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, which

3564-642: The Labour Party before completing her MSt in Women's Studies at the University of Oxford , for which she gained a Distinction. Coryton then worked for Harper Collins when she wrote her book, before founding her social enterprise. She is also an ambassador for The Eve Appeal, a British charity that raises awareness of and funds research into gynaecological cancers , and founded the Homeless Period Project,

3663-563: The Labour Party parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park . Coryton's first book Speak Up! , a campaign guide for rebel girls, was published by Harper Collins UK in 2019, the USA in 2022 and has been translated into French . For her work, she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to Charitable Campaigning. Coryton also joined

3762-686: The Obama Foundation as a European Leader in 2022, joined the Department for Education's Period Poverty Taskforce in 2020, and was named one of The Observer ' s and Nesta 's 2016 New Radicals. In December 2016, the BBC included her in their list of Five women who aren’t on Misplaced Pages but should be . She was born on 28 May 1993. She attended state school Queen Elizabeths in Devon . Coryton graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2015 and worked for

3861-496: The "tampon tax." On National Period Day 2019, the organization supported local organizers to host 60 rallies in all 50 states. Slovakia levies a 20% tax on sanitary products—the basic goods rate. A Slovakian film director commented that there are no plans to change the law and that east Europe missed elements of feminist change while living under communist government. Other campaigns have emerged such as #Freeperiods encouraging state policies to provide menstrual products. #Freeperiods

3960-505: The Basic Education Act which guaranteed the provision of free, sufficient and quality sanitary towels to every girl child registered and enrolled in a public basic education institution who has reached puberty and the provision of a safe and environmentally sound mechanism for disposal of the sanitary towels. These began to be distributed in 2018. The government established a Menstrual Hygiene Management Policy in 2019. In January 2015,

4059-657: The Canadian government recognised sanitary products as an essential item, ending the GST tax on all sanitary products. The Canadian government is currently debating whether to make menstrual products free in the workplace. The Government of Canada has published a Notice of Intent to the Canadian Gazette seeking feedback on providing free products in federally regulated workplaces; stakeholders and Canadians were able to feedback until July 2, 2019. Providing free menstrual products in workplaces

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4158-666: The European Parliament to allow EU countries to stop taxing sanitary products, but these did not come into effect until 2022. The UK left the EU in January 2020, and following the end of the transition period (at the beginning of 2021) the tampon tax was abolished in the UK, meaning there is now a zero rate of VAT applying to women's sanitary products. Research published by Tax Policy Associates in November 2022 suggested that savings resulting from

4257-470: The European Union and allow the zero rate. Prime Minister David Cameron commented, when prompted, that the tampon tax campaign was "long-standing" and a complicated issue within the European Union. In England, one in ten women between 14 and 21 cannot afford menstrual management products. Laura Coryton led a "Stop taxing periods, period" campaign with an online petition to have the European Union remove

4356-466: The FDA. The manufacturer is also required to include on the package label the absorbency rating and a comparison to other absorbency ratings as an attempt to help consumers choose the right product and avoid complications of TSS. In addition, The following statement of association between tampons and TSS is required by the FDA to be on the package label as part of the labeling requirements: "Attention: Tampons are associated with Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). TSS

4455-605: The House, the bill is under review by the appropriate subcommittee. There have been some changes to the tampon taxes, but most of these changes are at the state or city level. On a smaller scale, individual cities have also changed their laws in favor of eliminating the tampon tax (e.g. Denver, Colorado ). Maine eliminated the tax in 2022. California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia reported that California women each pay roughly US$ 7 per month over 40 years, constituting US$ 20 million in annual taxes. Garcia and Ling Ling Chang proposed

4554-472: The Menstrual Equity for All bill. The bill would ensure menstrual products are free and un-rationed in schools, jails, shelters, and in all public federal buildings with federal funds. This bill proposes that menstrual products are covered under Medicaid to limit financial barriers for low-income women. The bill would also mandate large employers to free period products to employees. Since being introduced in

4653-530: The Regents of the University of California and private institutions of higher learning to provide free menstrual products. In July 2016, New York State exempted feminine hygiene products from taxation, reducing the state's tax revenue by an estimated US$ 10 million annually. In the court case of the "Tampon Tax", attorney Zoe Salzman defended the movement of repealing the taxes on feminine menstrual products. Part of

4752-557: The Rock Reproductive Clinic stated that the use of tampons "has no physiological or clinical undesired side effects". During her study of female anatomy, German gynecologist Judith Esser-Mittag developed a digital-style tampon, which was made to be inserted without an applicator. In the late 1940s, Carl Hahn and Heinz Mittag worked on the mass production of this tampon. Hahn sold his company to Johnson & Johnson in 1974. In 1992, Congress found an internal FDA memo about

4851-481: The Senate and the House did not pass the bill. In Virginia, Delegate Mark Keam introduced House Bill 952. The bill wanted to exempt the same products as Ohio and Utah from the 5.3% sales tax. Like the other two states, the bill was not passed. In 2004, Kenya became the first country to exempt menstrual products from Value Added Tax. In 2011, Kenya exempted imported menstrual products from excise tax. In 2016, Kenya exempted

4950-631: The Tampon, an advocate for free menstrual products estimates that it would cost less than $ 5 a year per user to provide tampons and pads in restrooms at schools and businesses. Activists with United for Access organized a petition and march to put pressure on the US Department of Education to eradicate period poverty in the US. They called on the government to treat period products as health necessities, support policies that protect students who menstruate, and fund period products in school bathrooms. The campaign

5049-504: The UK, the Absorbent Hygiene Product Manufacturers Association (AHPMA) has written a Tampon Code of Practice which companies can follow on a volunteer basis. According to this code, UK manufacturers should follow the (European) EDANA code (see above). A piece of test equipment referred to as a Syngyna (short for synthetic vagina) is usually used to test absorbency. The machine uses a condom into which

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5148-675: The United Kingdom and United States. A controversial study by Tierno found that all-cotton tampons were less likely than rayon tampons to produce the conditions in which TSS can grow. This was done using a direct comparison of 20 brands of tampons, including conventional cotton/rayon tampons and 100% organic cotton tampons. In a series of studies conducted after this initial claim, it was shown that all tampons (regardless of composition) are similar in their effect on TSS and that tampons made with rayon do not have an increased incidence of TSS. Instead, tampons should be selected based on minimum absorbency rating necessary to absorb flow corresponding to

5247-658: The United States, almost all states tax "tangible individual property" but exempt non-luxury "necessities": groceries, prescriptions , prosthetics , agriculture supplies, and sometimes clothes—the exemptions vary between states. Most states charge sales tax for women's pads and tampons. Five states do not have a state sales tax (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon), and as of June 2019, thirteen US states specifically exempted essential hygiene products: Utah, Ohio, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. California repealed

5346-505: The United States, the Tampon Safety and Research Act was introduced to Congress in 1997 in an attempt to create transparency between tampon manufacturers and consumers. The bill would mandate the conduct or support of research on the extent to which additives in feminine hygiene products pose any risks to the health of women or to the children of women who use those products during or before the pregnancies involved. Although yet to be passed,

5445-573: The United States, they are considered to be a Class II medical device by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are sometimes used for hemostasis in surgery . Tampon design varies between companies and across product lines in order to offer a variety of applicators, materials and absorbencies. There are two main categories of tampons based on the way of insertion – digital tampons inserted by finger, and applicator tampons. Tampon applicators may be made of plastic or cardboard, and are similar in design to

5544-469: The Utah taxation committee to be voted on, eight of the eleven men voted against the bill. In November 2019, during a “special legislative session” and a Governor's signature, Utah became the thirteenth US state to abolish the tampon tax, effective from January 1, 2020. In November 2019, Ohio became the 12th US state to repeal the pink or tampon tax. Both Representatives Greta Johnson and Brigid Kelly introduced

5643-403: The Women's Environmental Network research briefing on menstrual products made from wood pulp: The basic ingredient for menstrual pads is wood pulp, which begins life as a brown coloured product. Various 'purification' processes can be used to bleach it white. Measurable levels of dioxin have been found near paper pulping mills, where chlorine has been used to bleach the wood pulp. Dioxin is one of

5742-507: The abolition of the tax had been retained by retailers, rather than passed onto women. Period underwear remained subject to the tax until 2024 and was included in the exemption after campaigners raised the issue. In July 2017, a pilot programme began in Scotland to have free sanitary products available at schools and food banks for women who cannot afford them. The pilot scheme was launched for six months in Aberdeen , with £42,500 of funding from

5841-445: The amount of cotton in each product and are measured based on the amount of fluid they are able to absorb. The absorbency rates required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for manufacturer labeling are listed below: Absorbency ratings outside the US may be different. The majority of non-US manufacturers use absorbency rating and Code of Practice recommended by EDANA (European Disposables and Nonwovens Association). In

5940-548: The bill has been continually reintroduced, most recently in 2019 as the Robin Danielson Feminine Hygiene Product Safety Act . Data would also be required from manufacturers regarding the presence of dioxins, synthetic fibers, chlorine, and other components (including contaminants and substances used as fragrances, colorants, dyes, and preservatives) in their feminine hygiene products. "Tampon tax" refers to tampons' lack of tax exempt status that

6039-543: The bills for years and finally became law in November 2019 – that would exempt feminine menstrual products from the state's sales tax. Legal scholars note that Ohio women still have to pay around four million dollars each year due to taxes on these items as they are not exempt from local taxes. In Tennessee, the same bill was sent to the Senate and House to reduce the 7% sales tax on feminine products, defined as "any product to be used by women with respect to menstruation ... [including] tampons, pads, liners, [and] cups". Both

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6138-444: The body. The FDA suggests the following guidelines for decreasing the risk of contracting TSS when using tampons: The FDA also advises those with a history of TSS not to use tampons and instead turn to other feminine hygiene products to control menstrual flow. Other menstrual hygiene products available include pads, menstrual cups , menstrual discs, and reusable period underwear. Cases of tampon-connected TSS are very rare in

6237-486: The body. Example of these medications include clindamycin , terconazole , miconazole , clotrimazole , when used as a vaginal cream or vaginal suppository, as well as butoconazole vaginal cream. According to the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT), tampons may be responsible for an increased risk of infection due to the erosions it causes in the tissue of the cervix and vagina, leaving

6336-510: The campaign gained the support of the then Prime Minister David Cameron , who said "I wish we could get rid of this… [but] there's a problem with getting rid of VAT on certain individual issues because of the way this tax is regulated and set in Europe." Change.org's UK director Brie Rogers cited Coryton as a successful example of clicktivism and the influence of online political activism on national politics. In March 2016 Parliament accepted

6435-823: The case was also a plea for refunding the women for all of the taxes that they had to pay on feminine menstrual products in the past. Ultimately the case ruled to repeal the taxes on feminine menstrual products, but not to refund the women of New York the previous taxes. Connecticut and Illinois also removed their tax in 2016, with Florida following suit in 2017. A 2018 empirical study on New Jersey's 2005 tax break on menstrual products found that "repealing tampon taxes removes an unequal tax burden and could make menstrual hygiene products more accessible for low-income consumers". The study utilized data from more than 16,000 purchases in 2004–2006 made in New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, using these latter nearby states as

6534-524: The control group. Through a differences-in-differences approach, they found that after the repeal, consumer prices on menstrual products decreased by 7.3%, relative to the control states. This was greater than the 6.9% sales tax, suggesting that the consumers benefitted from the tax break. Upon further analysis, the study also found that the decrease in consumer prices was greater for low-income consumers than high-income consumers (3.9% decrease versus 12.4% decrease). This suggests that low-income consumers received

6633-555: The cotton, rayon and fiber finishes, these materials are not biodegradable . Organic cotton tampons are biodegradable, but must be composted to ensure they break down in a reasonable amount of time. Rayon was found to be more biodegradable than cotton. Environmentally friendly alternatives to using tampons are the menstrual cup , reusable sanitary pads , menstrual sponges , reusable tampons, and reusable absorbent underwear . The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm carried out

6732-501: The devolved Scottish Government in order to address the growing scandal of " period poverty ". It was believed 1,000 girls would benefit from the scheme, as there were reports of teenage girls using tissues, toilet roll, torn T-shirts, and even newspaper as makeshift sanitary products, with some girls even skipping school altogether. It was decided to launch the scheme to improve attainment and school attendance, as well as improve confidence amongst teenage girls during their period; Scotland

6831-481: The first country to provide free menstrual products for students at schools and universities. Additionally, other countries have moved forward in implementing policies around providing sanitary products and abolishing taxes on menstrual products. Kenya and Uganda moved forward and removed taxes on these products. Furthermore, the Kenyan government also provides funding to schools that provide pads. Tampons A tampon

6930-402: The governance or implementation of menstrual waste management is how country categorizes menstrual waste. This waste could be considered as a common household waste, hazardous household waste (which will required to be segregated from routine household waste), biomedical waste given amount of blood it contains, or plastic waste given the plastic content in many commercial disposal pads (some only

7029-446: The headlines, with Russell Howard focusing on the viral placard, "The Taxman can suck my cl*t", Ed Miliband called the tax ridiculous and Caroline Criado Perez demanded the tax to be abolished. Following the protest the University of Sheffield were the first to cull the tax in their university shops. In November 2015 Charlie Edge and Ruth Howarth free-bled in front of Parliament to further drive awareness. George Osborne mentioned

7128-655: The high cost of commercial products. The Scottish government in 2019 began providing free sanitary products for poorer students at schools, with hopes that this would be rolled out across the entire nation. A bill to make period products available for free to everyone who needs them received preliminary approval in the Scottish Parliament in February 2020 and Members for the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) approved The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act on Tuesday 24 November 2020. Local authorities in Scotland now have

7227-546: The importance of their initiative as according to #Freeperiods one out of 10 girls cannot afford to purchase menstrual products and over 137,000 girls have missed school due to period poverty. Within the Global North, tampon activism has been strong and well-supported. Countries are moving forward and either removing tampon taxes or providing free menstrual products. In 2018 the Scottish Government moved forward and became

7326-436: The individual. Sea sponges are also marketed as menstrual hygiene products. A 1980 study by the University of Iowa found that commercially sold sea sponges contained harmful materials like sand and bacteria . Studies have shown non-significantly higher mean levels of mercury in tampon users compared to non tampon users. No evidence showed an association between tampon use and inflammation biomarkers. According to

7425-480: The most benefit from the tax break, while high-income consumers shared the benefit with producers of menstrual products. On July 1, 2020, Washington became the 20th state to remove tax from menstrual products. On November 5, 2021, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law bill SB 153 repealing the tax on feminine hygiene products. The bill went into effect 90 days later on February 3, 2022. Many states that have tampon taxes have tried to repeal or eliminate

7524-585: The most persistent and toxic chemicals, and can cause reproductive disorders, damage to the immune system and cancer (26). There are no safe levels and it builds up in our fat tissue and in our environment. In the UK, the Marine Conservation Society has researched the prevalence and problem of plastic tampon applicators found on beaches. Disposal of tampons, especially flushing (which manufacturers warn against) may lead to clogged drains and waste management problems. There are multiple cases in which

7623-582: The outer case of the tampon or pads). Ecological impact varies according to disposal method (whether a tampon is flushed down the toilet or placed in a garbage bin – the latter is the recommended option). Factors such as tampon composition will likewise impact sewage treatment plants or waste processing. The average use of tampons in menstruation may add up to approximately 11,400 tampons in someone's lifetime (if they use only tampons rather than other products). Tampons are made of cotton, rayon, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, and fiber finishes. Aside from

7722-597: The petition by name in his 2015 Autumn Statement pledge to end the tampon tax at the European Union level. The petition platform's CEO cited the campaign as an example of successful clicktivism , with over 320,000 signatures. In March 2016, Parliament created legislation to eliminate the tampon VAT, following a budget amendment by opposition Labour MP Paula Sherriff . It was expected to go into effect by April 2018 but did not do so; several British women protested for it publicly while displaying blood stains from their periods. On October 3, 2018, new EU VAT rules were put forward by

7821-557: The presence of dioxin , a known carcinogen, in tampons. Dioxin is one of the toxic chemicals produced when wood pulp is bleached with chlorine. Congressional hearings were held and tampon manufacturers assured Congress that the trace levels of dioxin in tampons was well below EPA level. The EPA has stated there is no acceptable level of dioxin. Following this, major commercial tampon brands began switching from dioxin-producing chlorine gas bleaching methods to either elemental "chlorine-free" or "totally chlorine free" bleaching processes. In

7920-429: The products' classification as medical devices. The IRS does not classify female products as medical devices, thus blocking women from buying them with pre-tax dollars in both flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts. Recently, there is a movement to ensure access to the basic necessity of menstrual products for women. The movement of menstrual equity has been gaining traction in recent years. This movement

8019-514: The raw materials used for the manufacture of menstrual products from the 16% value added tax (VAT) and 25% excise tax. The government also allocated Ksh 240M to provision of free sanitary pads to girls in public governmental schools through the National Sanitary Towel Programme. This increased to Ksh 400M in 2015. However, this funding declined to 260M in 2022/2023 budget. In 2016, the Kenyan parliament introduced an amendment to

8118-436: The restrooms with free tampons and sanitary napkins. The law was passed in an effort to eliminate the cost burden and keep low-income students in schools during their menstrual cycle. Companies involved in supplying the necessary feminine hygiene products (tampons and pads) for complete menstrual care in the restrooms of schools include WAXIE and Hospeco. They also supply various options for menstrual product dispensers that have

8217-517: The risk of toxic shock syndrome by changing the normal pH of the vagina and increasing the risk of infections from the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus . TSS is a rare but life-threatening infection that requires immediate medical attention. The majority of tampons sold are made of blends of rayon and cotton , along with synthetic fibers. Some tampons are made out of organic cotton. Tampons are available in several absorbency ratings. Several countries regulate tampons as medical devices. In

8316-585: The skin prone to infections. Thus, ASBMT advises hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients against using tampons while undergoing therapy. Tampons are currently being used and tested to restore and/or maintain the normal microbiota of the vagina to treat bacterial vaginosis . Some of these are available to the public but come with disclaimers. The efficacy of the use of these probiotic tampons has not been established. Tampons have also been used in cases of tooth extraction to reduce post-extraction bleeding. Tampons are currently being investigated as

8415-509: The surge in cases of TSS. However, a later meta-analysis found that the material composition of tampons is not directly correlated to the incidence of toxic shock syndrome, whereas oxygen and carbon dioxide content of menstrual fluid uptake is associated more strongly. In 1982, a liability case called Kehm v. Proctor & Gamble took place, where the family of Patricia Kehm sued Procter & Gamble for her death on September 6, 1982, from TSS, while using Rely brand tampons . The case

8514-510: The tampon is inserted, and synthetic menstrual fluid is fed into the test chamber. A novel way of testing was developed by feminist medical experts after the toxic shock syndrome (TSS) crisis, and used blood – rather than the industry standard blue saline – as a test material. The FDA requires the manufacturer to perform absorbency testing to determine the absorbency rating using the Syngyna ;method or other methods that are approved by

8613-447: The tax in its 2019 state budget, but only for the two-year duration of the budget. Seven other states have introduced such legislation, most recently Nebraska, Virginia, and Arizona. In November 2021, Michigan ended its tampon tax. Many federal assistance programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) do not allow the use of those funds for products such as pads or tampons despite

8712-408: The tax via legislation and have been denied. US states such as Tennessee, Arizona, and Virginia have introduced legislation. In Utah, Representative Susan Duckworth introduced a bill that would have exempted menstrual hygiene products from sales tax, titled "Hygiene Tax Act". Products exempted included such items as tampons and disposable diapers. Legal scholars point out that when the bill was sent to

8811-599: The time between the proposal and the legislation, some EU countries made use of their limited number of reduced rate items to decrease taxes on sanitary items. There is a zero rate of VAT applied to most women's sanitary products in the UK. The United Kingdom had levied a value-added tax on sanitary products since it joined the European Economic Community in 1973. This rate was reduced to 5% specifically for sanitary products in 2000 with lobbying from Member of Parliament Dawn Primarolo saying that this reduction

8910-431: The use of soft papyrus tampons by Egyptian women in the fifteenth century B.C. Roman women used wool tampons. Women in ancient Japan fashioned tampons out of paper, held them in place with a bandage, and changed them 10 to 12 times a day. Traditional Hawaiian women used the furry part of a native fern called hapu'u ; and grasses, mosses and other plants are still used by women in parts of Asia and Africa. R. G. Mayne defined

9009-411: The use of tampons as a screening method for early detection of endometrial cancer. Appropriate disposal of used tampons is still lacking in many countries. Because the lack of menstrual management practices in some countries, many sanitary pads or other menstrual products will be disposed into domestic solid wastes or garbage bins that eventually becomes part of a solid wastes. The issue that underlies

9108-472: The use of tampons may need medical advice from a healthcare professional. For example, as part of the National Institutes of Health , the U.S. National Library of Medicine and its branch MedlinePlus advise against using tampons while being treated with any of several medications taken by the vaginal route such as vaginal suppositories and creams, as tampons may decrease the absorbance of these drugs by

9207-523: The value-added tax for sanitary products. Her petition was highlighted by a further protest in London and a sister march in Bristol headed by the groups, No More Taboo and Period Watch. The London march on April 2, 2015, garnered support from 2,500 protesters, many wearing bloodied white pants, chanting outside Downing Street. The slogan "Tampons not a necessity? Then welcome to the world where we don't wear them" made

9306-747: The workplace and more opportunity for people with lower income. On May 28, 2015, the Canadian Federal Government voted in favour of lifting the tampon tax federally. The tax was ultimately repealed July 1, 2015. This was inspired by an online petition organized by Canadian Menstruators, an online advocacy group, which thousands of Canadians signed and presented to the Federal Government of Canada in Ottawa. Critics have pointed out that sanitary products are still taxed under tariffs under Canadian tariff laws. In China, menstrual products are subject to

9405-427: The world, menstrual waste is disposed into pit latrines, as burning and burial were difficult due to limited private space. Women have used tampons during menstruation for thousands of years. In her book Everything You Must Know About Tampons (1981), Nancy Friedman writes, [T]here is evidence of tampon use throughout history in a multitude of cultures. The oldest printed medical document, Ebers Papyrus , refers to

9504-511: Was "about fairness, and doing what we can to lower the cost of a necessity." This is the lowest rate possible under the European Union 's value added tax law , which as of 2016 does not allow a reduction to zero rates. The only goods that can be zero rated are those with historic zero rates that have been applied continually since before 1991. The UK Independence Party raised the issue in the 2015 general election with promised to withdraw from

9603-504: Was built in partnership with the period poverty-focused nonprofit founded by social entrepreneur, Nadya Okamoto . Okamoto is also the author of the book, Period Power: a Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement, which focuses heavily on advocating against the "tampon tax." When Okamoto was 21 years old, she led her organization to host the first-ever National Period Day on October 19, 2019, which focused on pushing legislators to eliminate

9702-510: Was named by James K. Todd in 1978. Philip M. Tierno Jr., Director of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology at the NYU Langone Medical Center , helped determine that tampons were behind toxic shock syndrome (TSS) cases in the early 1980s. Tierno blames the introduction of higher-absorbency tampons made with rayon in 1978, as well as the relatively recent decision by manufacturers to recommend that tampons can be worn overnight, for

9801-470: Was the first successful case to sue the company. Procter & Gamble paid $ 300,000 in compensatory damages to the Kehm family. This case can be attributed to the increase in regulations and safety protocol testing for current FDA requirements. Some risk factors identified for developing TSS include recent labor and delivery , tampon use, recent staphylococcus infection, recent surgery , and foreign objects inside

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