How Do Pads Impact The Planet?

Where Does A Used Sanitary Pad Actually Go?

In India, a used sanitary pad enters the sanitary-waste stream and may ultimately be landfilled or incinerated, depending on local infrastructure.

India's 2026 Solid Waste Management Rules classify used sanitary towels as sanitary waste that should be securely wrapped and stored separately. A Centre for Science and Environment report notes that, in many Indian cities, sanitary waste has historically been collected with mixed waste and sent to landfills or dumpsites.

Sanitation workers can end up handling used pads when they are mixed with household waste. In a Toxics Link survey of 55 waste workers, 83.6% said they found used pads in general or household waste, 70% said they were always mixed with household waste, and 29% used no personal protective equipment while handling waste.

What leaves your bin can therefore become part of somebody else's working environment. Throwing a pad into the bin is therefore only the beginning of its waste journey. Where it goes next depends on local collection and treatment infrastructure, but disposal does not make the materials disappear immediately.

Why Does A Disposable Pad Stay In The Environment For So Long?

A disposable pad can remain in landfills for centuries because many conventional pads contain long-lasting plastic components, with some taking 500-800 years to break down. UNEP reports that single-use menstrual products can contain up to 90% plastic.

Different parts of a conventional pad perform different jobs. Commercial pads can use polypropylene or polyethylene in skin-facing or protective layers, while the absorbent core can contain cellulose or wood-pulp fibres and superabsorbent polymers designed to hold fluid. Adhesives are also used to hold the product together and secure it to underwear.

Poorly managed pad waste can contribute to soil and water pollution through the plastic and other materials it contains. The NITI Aayog–UNDP Handbook on Sustainable Urban Plastic Waste Management states that plastic waste dumped in landfills can leach into the ground and nearby water systems and eventually reach the food chain. Since conventional pads are made with 90% plastic components, they add to plastic-containing material in landfills and dumpsites.

Why Are Used Pads Difficult To Recycle?

Used pads are difficult to recycle because plastics, absorbent fibres, superabsorbent polymers and adhesives are bonded into 1 product, and menstrual fluid adds a further handling requirement.

The presence of menstrual fluid after use adds another handling requirement, making conventional material recovery more technically and economically challenging. Menstrual blood carrying HIV or hepatitis can also retain its infectivity in soil. Recovering these materials calls for specialised separation, not standard recycling.

Incineration isn't a clean alternative either. Burning inorganic pad material, even at the household level, releases carcinogenic dioxins, persistent organic pollutants that accumulate up the food chain.

How Much Sanitary Pad Waste Does India Generate?

India generates an estimated 113,000 tonnes of menstrual waste each year, according to the Government of India's India Science, Technology & Innovation portal. The estimate is based on around 121 million women and adolescent girls using an average of eight sanitary napkins per month.

More recent policy shows that managing this waste remains an active issue. India's 2026 Solid Waste Management Rules now identify sanitary waste as a separate waste stream alongside wet, dry and special-care waste, with used sanitary towels specifically included in that category.

Can Reusable Period Products Reduce Menstrual Waste?

Reusable period products can reduce menstrual waste by replacing repeated single-use disposal with a product that is designed to be washed and worn again. According to NIH, a 2024 study on sanitary napkin use and disposal found that almost 70% of women in urban areas and 48% of women in rural areas in India use sanitary napkins.

With every disposable sanitary napkin becoming waste after 1 use, repeated use changes the equation. Instead of buying and discarding a new product each time, 1 reusable product can remain in use across multiple cycles before it reaches the end of its usable life.

This is where product longevity becomes important. Mahina Period Panties are tested to last 100 washes, or approximately 2 years with proper care. Following the recommended cold-water rinse, gentle wash and complete air-dry routine helps the panty reach its intended reusable life before it moves into Mahina's end-of-life programme.

What Happens When A Mahina Period Panty Reaches The End Of Its Life?

After approximately 2 years or 100 washes, a worn-out Mahina Period Panty has an end-of-life route through Mahina's partners Respun and Tooused instead of automatically going into the bin.

If you have searched for "period panty recycling program near me", Mahina provides a route to its partner platforms, where customers can follow the relevant collection process.

Once collected, the panty can be separated so its materials follow different processing routes. The remaining fabric can be washed and shredded into material that can be repurposed into products such as tote bags, while the gusset is separated for its own processing.

A Better Goodbye For Period Care

A better period-care lifecycle means thinking about what happens both during use and after a product is finished. A disposable pad becomes waste after 1 wear, while a reusable period panty can be washed and used across many cycles before reaching the end of its usable life.

Using a reusable product for as long as it is designed to last, caring for it correctly and choosing a responsible end-of-life route creates a more complete cycle: use, wash, reuse and, when the time comes, give it a good goodbye.