A new Life Cycle Assessment indicates that cornstarch-based sanitary pads hold a substantial environmental benefit over their use. They’re 17 times more environmentally sustainable than standard plastic pads. Lead researcher Alice Medeiros de Lima with her team shows the potential these biodegradable products have to address the growing threat of plastic waste in oceans and other waterways.
The research published in Sustainability Science and Technology assessed the environmental impacts of replacing polyethylene with PLA. In particular, it was meant to tease out the effect of this change in pads. PLA, or polylactic acid, is a bioplastic that’s primarily produced from cornstarch. Unlike most products on the market that are up to 90% plastic, it provides a sustainable replacement that’s safer for the environment. Conventional sanitary pads account for a major environmental impact. On average, each menstruating individual uses an estimated 120 kg of menstrual products over their lifetime. Each year, around 200,000 metric tons of period products are sent to landfills. Unfortunately, the majority of these products soon find their way into our oceans.
The plastic burden of these products is just as shocking. Every year, an estimated 55,000 metric tons of plastic waste from disposable pads enter North American waterways. This is the equivalent of almost four plastic shopping bags’ worth of plastic for each pad worn. This is all to say that the new study shows that switching to cornstarch-based products would significantly cut back this plastic pollution.
Medeiros de Lima emphasized the importance of this research, stating, “Given the detrimental effects of plastic-based sanitary products on the environment, transitioning to cornstarch-based products can significantly reduce waste and provide a more sustainable solution for the future.”
The research highlights that making sustainable sanitary materials the norm will involve some critical thinking. Aside from ease of production, pricing and scalability is a key factor. These four things will tune the conversation to get consumers from conventional products, with big bioplastic fossil fuel inputs, to more sustainable alternatives like cornstarch sanitary pads.
This is significant as it highlights a positive trend within the menstrual product industry toward greater sustainability. By switching to cornstarch sanitary pads, consumers can make a huge difference in their environmental footprint. This decision further protects ecosystems by eliminating toxic plastic pollution.