Latest news with #tampons
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Toxic pesticide levels in tampons 40 times higher than allowed in drinking water
A toxic pesticide linked to cancer has been found in tampons at levels 40 times higher than the legal limit for drinking water. Researchers found traces of glyphosate at high levels in menstrual products, according to a report by the Pesticide Action Network UK (Pan UK), the Women's Environmental Network and the Pesticide Collaboration. It is the world's most commonly used herbicide and in 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified it 'probably carcinogenic'. Researchers have also linked glyphosate to other serious health conditions such as Parkinson's. High levels of the pesticide in tampons is concerning because these chemicals can be absorbed through the vagina directly into the bloodstream. In 2024, Pan UK tested 15 boxes of tampons from UK shops and supermarkets across a range of different brands for traces of pesticides. Despite testing on a small scale, glyphosate was found in one of the boxes, at 0.004 mg/kg - 40 times higher than permitted levels of glyphosate in drinking water. It is thought the toxic pesticide ends up in tampons due to the weedkillers used to grow cotton. About 300 pesticides are used in cotton production globally and roughly a third of these are classified as Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), such as glyphosate. Researchers at Pan UK say these pesticides used in cotton production pose a major risk to the environment, harming pollinators and other wildlife or contaminating water and soil. Josie Cohen, the interim director at Pan UK, told The Guardian: 'We urgently need to reduce our overall toxic load and shouldn't have to worry about glyphosate and other highly hazardous pesticides in our period products. 'This is a blatant gap in health and safety regulation that the government urgently needs to address.' Previous studies have shown period products can contain a variety of other chemicals including phthalates, dioxins, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (known as 'PFAS' or 'forever chemicals'), and heavy metals such as lead and arsenic. These chemicals have been linked to increased risks of reproductive and hormonal diseases such as endometriosis, infertility and cancer researchers warn. Currently there is no specific regulations for period products in the UK, making it the responsibility of the manufacturers to ensure the product is safe. Pan UK has suggested a regulation scheme and testing should be implemented to ensure they are free of chemical residues. It added that manufacturers should also disclose all the ingredients and additives found in period products so that customers can make informed decisions.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning to British women as scientists discover toxic pesticides in UK TAMPONS at 40 times the drinking water limit
They're the product that many women religiously reach for at certain times of the month. But scientists have issued an urgent warning to British women after discovering toxic pesticides in tampons at 40 times the drinking water limit. Experts have tested 15 boxes of tampons from UK retailers across a range of popular brands including Tampax, Lil Lets, Superdrug, Tesco and Boots. Analysis revealed one sample, which has not been named, contained 0.004mg/kg of glyphosate – a toxic chemical that is the world's most popular weedkiller. While it may seem a small amount, the UK and EU maximum residue level for drinking water is 0.0001 mg/kg. The WHO has previously dubbed the chemical as 'probably carcinogenic to humans' – meaning it is likely linked to cancer. It has also been linked to the development of Parkinson's and other serious health conditions. Amy Heley, Public Affairs Manager at the Pesticide Collaboration, said: 'If this level of glyphosate is deemed to be unsafe in the water we drink, why is it allowed to appear in our period products?' 'Our investigation reveals that women, girls and those who menstruate may not be protected from exposure to harmful chemicals. 'And yet, most people remain completely unaware that this is even an issue.' Pesticides end up in period products after being used to grow cotton, which is the main ingredient in tampons. Unlike when ingested through food or water, chemicals absorbed via the vagina directly enter the bloodstream, bypassing the body's detoxification systems. Helen Lynn, Environmenstrual Campaign Manager at the Women's Environmental Network, said: 'Women, girls and people who menstruate deserve full transparency about what's in their period products. 'It is scandalous that pesticides linked to cancer, as well as other toxic chemicals linked to reproductive and hormonal diseases, can show up in period products. 'Consumers deserve robust regulation that guarantees the safety of these products.' In the US, the link between glyphosate and cancer has played out publicly in the courts, with thousands of lawsuits being taken against pesticide company Monsanto. They are the manufacturers of Roundup, of which the active ingredient is glyphosate, and thousands of plaintiffs across the US have been awarded damages for their diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma - a type of cancer. In 2020, Monsanto agreed to pay almost $11 billion to settle most Roundup cancer claims, and additional trials are expected to resume this year. Previous studies have also detected traces of heavy metals such as lead and arsenic in some tampons. Josie Cohen, Interim Director at Pesticide Action Network, said: 'We were genuinely shocked to find glyphosate in tampons sitting on UK shelves. 'This harmful chemical is already impossible to avoid since it's sprayed by councils in streets and parks and contaminates much of our food and water due to its overuse in farming. 'We urgently need to reduce our overall toxic load and shouldn't have to worry about glyphosate and other Highly Hazardous Pesticides in our period products. 'This is a blatant gap in health and safety regulation that the government urgently needs to address.' The report suggests a handful of recommendations for the UK Government, including the introduction of robust regulation for period products with a testing scheme in place to ensure that they are free of pesticide residues. THE SAGA SURROUNDING THE SAFETY OF GLYPHOSATE Glyphosate is an herbicide first registered for use in the US in 1974. It is marketed either as a salt or an amber-colored liquid with no smell. Monsanto markets glyphosate as part of the pesticide Roundup. Several studies found that high doses administered to laboratory animals caused cancer, although the evidence is 'limited' when it comes to humans. In March 2015, the World Health Organization ranked glyphosate a Group 2a carcinogen, a substance that probably causes cancer in people. In 2017, California added glyphosate to its proposition 65 list, which requires Roundup to carry a warning label if sold in California. Monsanto has vehemently denied that its product causes cancer and says and more than 800 studies that have established its safety. Yet more than 4,000 plaintiffs have filed lawsuits - 800 over the past year - claiming Monsanto made them or members of their family sick.
