Disposable or Reusable?

Aid agencies, as part of their care packages, often provide disposable pads for women to use.  This is a large ongoing cost and many seek donations to pay for these.  if you consider that each woman would need several boxes or packages of products a month, this is a huge ongoing cost.

The main problem with giving disposable pads is that they are disposable, and supplies keep needing to be bought, and the women receiving them are left dependant on these.  In some remote areas there can be problems with disposal of such products (incineration or burial)

"Give a man a fish and it can feed him for a day...... teach a man to fish and it can feed him for a lifetime"

Imagine being so poor you have to have someone provide you with packages of menstrual products.....  I imagine that is very depressing.  If aid agencies can donate reusable menstrual products to these women, they can not only limit the amount of money spent on ongoing purchases of these products (which leaves more for other aid), but it can also give the women the independence to be able to take care of themselves from then on.  They won't need to be reliant on more aid for their menstrual needs.

There is also the environmental impact of disposables, particularly in regard to sanitation, where developing countries may not have the systems to deal with such a large amount of waste.  All those used pads and tampons have to go somewhere.  I imagine many are incinerated, which can cause pollution (in the case of pads that contain plastics).

Having said that, reusable options may not always be appropriate.  Cloth pads require a reasonable amount of water to wash which is sometimes difficult to come by in certain areas.  However the reusable nature is of benefit to both the women and the aid agencies, if they can be given in places where they can be washed.

As far as donating pads to impoverished women, the following may be considered:

 
Cloth Advantages Cloth Disadvantages Disposable Advantages Disposable Disadvantages
  • Reusable
  • Will last many years
  • Women not dependant on ongoing donations
  • Women need only a few pads or 1 cup
  • No waste
  • Needs access to water for cleaning
  • No need to wash
  • More readily available for donators  to buy
  • Disposable
  • Require ongoing supply
  • Expensive
  • Needs appropriate disposal system
Luckily there are agencies that are supplying cloth menstrual pads and ones only dealing with disposable products - which at least means the women in need are able to use something, which is ultimately better than nothing.
 
 

See also the page on why lack of menstrual gear is a problem, for more information on cloth vs disposables for donation.

Please note that this website is not affiliated with any aid organisations, and that any donations you make to any organisations are between you and them.
This website is not run by a charity or aid organisation