From an environmental perspective, tampons and pads might not be the best alternatives. A woman can go through almost 10,000 disposable tampons in her lifetime, which adds up to a lot of waste.
Most tampons also have plastic applicators, which can take more than six months to biodegrade. If tampons are your choice then opt for one without an applicator like o.b. Reusable menstrual cups, meanwhile — including brands like DivaCup and The Keeper — have a lifespan of anywhere between one and 10 years. That’s a lot less waste overall.
