New research reveals the presence of toxic 'forever chemicals' in feminine hygiene products, causing alarm and legal action.
Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin report for The Hill.
In short:
- "Forever chemicals," or PFAS, are detected in various feminine products, including menstrual underwear, linked to health risks.
- A class-action lawsuit against Thinx, a menstrual underwear brand, was settled for $5 million due to allegations of PFAS in their products.
- Despite Thinx's denial of PFAS presence, independent tests suggest otherwise, leading to public outcry and demands for safer products.
Key quote:
"I wouldn’t put my damn daughter in these things."
— Graham Peaslee, professor and researcher at the University of Notre Dame
Why this matters:
Given the intimate and prolonged contact of these products with highly vascularized tissues, there's a significant concern over the potential for adverse health impacts from exposure. In response to these findings, there's been a push for greater transparency and regulation. Some states have introduced and enacted laws to protect consumers from PFAS in consumer products, including menstrual and incontinence products. For example, Minnesota and California have taken legislative steps to ban or phase out PFAS in various consumer products, aiming to mitigate exposure risks.
Most diapers and sanitary pads contain volatile organic compounds and phthalates and with this continued, long-term exposure a significant amount of these harmful chemicals could be absorbed via the genitals, according to a 2019 study.
