Switch to eco-friendly menstrual products, women urged

EVERY year, some 2.4 billion pieces of sanitary waste end up in Malaysian landfills, taking anywhere from 500 to 800 years to decompose.

Products such as reusable sanitary pads and menstrual cups are one way to cut this down and protect the environment.

In an effort to encourage women to switch to sustainable menstruation products, two local companies — Breeze For You and The Hive Bulkfoods — along with Klinik Rakyat Petaling Jaya have launched an awareness campaign “Make the Switch Now”.

The campaign led by Kusaaliny Mahendran is in conjunction with 2022 Menstrual Hygiene Day. She is political secretary to Bukit Gasing assemblyman R. Rajiv.

“Previously, we held a one-day event at the Taman Jaya public park. However, due to popular demand, the campaign will run from now to Aug 23.

“For this period, menstrual cups will be sold at a subsidised cost of RM66. There is also a 100% money-back guarantee,” said Kusaaliny.

She said the cost of conventional sanitary products was a burden to B40 families.

“It is estimated that on an average, one woman in a family spends about RM10 a month on sanitary pads.

“I come from a middle-income family and spending on sanitary pads forces people to tighten their budget.

“To create more awareness, we have also planned a dialogue session for health professionals to discuss the advantages of switching to sustainable menstruation products.

“The session will be held on June 19, July 23 and Aug 20. However, the location has yet to be confirmed,” said Kusaaliny.

“Participants will be able to buy the menstrual cup for RM25. Alternatively they can get reusable menstrual pads in three different sizes, at RM25.

“For people who think menstrual cups are a drastic change, they can try reusable pads first,” she added.

Rajiv hoped that the money-back guarantee would make women more confident to switch to the environmentally friendly products.

The products are available at Klinik Rakyat PJ and at www.breezeforyou.com. The promotional code “trybreeze” offers a 100% money-back guarantee from the website.