An extremely fast and efficient process, hot composting is steadily growing to be a popular practice among the folks living eco-friendly lifestyles. Here’s how you can give it a shot as well:

The clue lies in the name itself – hot composting, unsurprisingly, is a much faster method (and hotter way) of decomposing organic waste compared to regular composting, which is incidentally the cold bin method. Hot compost bins operate at temperatures around 40-65 degrees Celsius, and are significantly warmer as the method uses these high temperatures to achieve optimal microbial activity – ergo, this hastens the composting process and you can get usable compost in around 4-6 weeks!

In addition to the fast turnaround time, what are the benefits of hot composting? 

Benefits of hot composting

One key advantage of hot composting is its ability to take on a wider variety of compostable materials. As the crux of this method depends primarily on the high temperature, it isn’t bound by seasons. In addition, the heat can kill off any unwanted bacteria, and its rapid nature doesn’t give much room for smells to emanate. 

But how do I get started?

First, you’ll need a compost bin or a designated area ready to fill with organic waste. Start by chopping all your ingredients into smaller bits (including your natural sanitary pads) and adding in a good amount of existing ready compost as a starter. Not only does the ready compost have all the required microorganisms and bacteria you need, but their job to break down the ingredients also gets simplified as the materials are already in small chunks. 

Keep a constant check on the temperature of your hot compost pile to make sure it doesn’t get too cold and go below 40°C or 104°F or become too hot (above 70°C or 158°F).

Note that the temperature of your hot composts will depend on moisture levels, the size of your organic matter, the type of compost starter you add, and the size of your pile. Feel free to experiment – you can try hot composting with different batches, you can either add/reduce water, and make batches smaller or bigger, to see the impact this has on the quality of the resulting compost.

Happy hot composting!

To learn more about composting your sanitary pads at home, please visit: How can I compost my sanitary pads at home? 

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If you’re reading this blog, cheers on taking one step towards a greener way of living by wanting to compost your natural sanitary pads – the world needs more individuals like you!

So, since you’re already convinced about composting your biodegradable sanitary pads at home, it’s natural for you to be curious about the next step – the actual process and duration of the composting. So, how long do these pads take to actually compost? 

Natural pads (like Sparkle’s, for example) fall under the category of brown compost (which include materials such as hay, straw, pruning cuttings, sawdust, wood chips, etc). Since brown compost items include fibrous materials, they typically take longer to decompose than green compost (grass, vegetable peelings, eggshells, etc). 

It’s been observed that sanitary pads made with natural materials take roughly around 12-18 months to decompose in a compost bin. Do keep in mind that each compost bin might differ in terms of moisture levels, content, rough materials, and temperature maintained. You can also expedite the composting process by cutting up your used sanitary napkins; as you’re making the pad into smaller pieces, they will biodegrade faster, as the microbes can break down the material faster. 

Once I’ve cut up my pads, how do I go about composting them?

As mentioned in our last blog: Is it possible to compost sanitary pads?, you can make/use a normal composting bin. You can try any of these composting methods for favourable results: 

1. Bokashi Style 
2. Trench Composting 
3. Hot Composting 
4. Humanure Method 

These methods are used worldwide because they can eradicate biohazardous bacteria and pathogens present.

What should I do with the compost once it’s ready?

Since Sparkle pads do not contain any plastic and are, in fact, created from natural, biodegradable, and compostable ingredients, they are safe to compost. However, whenever you compost any item containing bodily fluids such as menstrual blood, we always recommend being mindful as it could house blood-born, infectious pathogens in some cases. 

If composting is carried out correctly, all pathogens will be killed by high composting temperature, making it safe to use in your garden. If you are using a backyard compost bin to compost used sanitary pads, it’s always a good idea to use your compost as garden soil for plants rather than for growing your fruits and vegetables. 

Did you know that you can use the “Hot Composting” method to speed up the composting process. To learn more about hot composting, you can read: What Is The Secret Behind Hot Composting?

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Sir Albert Howard, a government agronomist, developed the “Indore Method” in the mid-1920s, a process which involved three parts of garden clippings to one part of manure or kitchen waste arranged in layers and mixed periodically (a practice also known as the precursor to modern composting). 

However, over time, we’ve gone past using only garden clippings and kitchen waste – now, compostable materials include tea bags, shredded newspaper, cardboard, sawdust, wood chips, hair and fur, etc. 

But could this list also include natural period products such as biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads? 

Before we delve into that possibility, let’s take a quick look at why there might be a need for it: 

The Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India has stated that nearly 121 million menstruating individuals use disposable sanitary pads as their primary period care product, all of which can individually take around 800 years to decompose. As conventional pads are made from up to 90% of plastic compounds, rendering them non-compostable or non-biodegradable, the stack of non-sustainable period products is rising by the day.

While no one has really entertained the thought of period products and composting, menstrual products that are plastic-free (like Sparkle) and made from natural biodegradable materials and plant cellulose can definitely tick the boxes on the composting checklist! 

I don’t know the first thing about composting my menstrual products. How should I go about this?

Keep these steps in mind and you’ll be well on your way: 

1. Composting only works with natural menstrual products:

Whether it’s panty liners, tampons or pads, they need to have a natural/plant-based composition. A quick way to find out is to read the label or ingredients list on the pack. 

2. Ensure you buy/make the right kind of composting bin:

You’ll need to be vigilant that the bin you create/purchase should have the provision for sustaining the right kind of condition for your compost (i.e. warm and humid). Your bin should also be well-sealed, to prevent vermin attacks. 

3. Your compost should have a good balance of:

A) Green compost (vegetable peels, grass cuttings, tea residue, eggshells, etc – essentially, items that break down and decompose quickly)

B) Brown compost (fibrous materials like cardboard, pruning clippings, sawdust, etc that take longer to biodegrade. Natural sanitary pads fall into this category.

4. Larger surface areas clock better composting times:

The more surface area composting microorganisms have to work with, the faster they can break down the materials. To speed up the composting process of natural sanitary pads, you can always break up the pads into smaller pieces. 

5. The wait is worth it:

Most compostable products typically decompose within 6-12 months in well-maintained composting conditions. However, it is recommended to wait around 15-20 months for menstrual products to fully break down in a home compost environment. 

Stick to compostable waste in your bin, and ensure it stays warm, moist, and well-aired (while being well-sealed); after about a year and a half of compost cycle, you should have some excellent quality compost to use in your garden. 

Congratulations on choosing sustainability in both your products and processes!
To learn more about composting your sanitary pads at home, please visit: How can I compost my sanitary pads at home?

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While we are constantly working toward making our products as affordable as possible by pushing and optimizing our costs as much as we can, we would like to be as transparent as possible with you so that you can make an informed purchase decision as a menstruator:

Sustainable raw materials are 2-3x more expensive than petrochemical-based ones

Typically, sustainable products end up being relatively more expensive compared to their conventional alternatives since natural, bio-based, organic, biodegradable, compostable and/or sustainable ingredients/raw materials are also expensive to source. As they are not often mass-produced, they don’t have an established supply chain like conventional products, which makes their procurement expensive (as well as the costs of the end products).

Establishing a fully traceable and ethical supply chain (verified by third-party certifications) adds to the cost

At Sparkle, our first priority lies in delivering a high-quality product for you – we believe that we can achieve this quality only if we start out with safe and top-quality ingredients. Just like we get our facility audits conducted by third-party organizations, we ensure that our suppliers and their manufacturing control processes are also certified by independent organizations. To maintain the consistency and quality of all of our raw materials, we also conduct periodic plant visits and audits ourselves, all of which add to the final price point.

Strict quality standards and manufacturing facility certifications

We do not compromise on quality. Period. We do not cut corners to make our products the cheapest possible options in the market. That’s just not who we are.

We follow strict hygiene and manufacturing process control at every step of our production process. Our production area has epoxy flooring and central air conditioning with positive pressure. Our dust-free production area is equipped with advanced Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that is designed to maintain a Class 10000 Clean Room environment.

Besides being US FDA registered, our manufacturing facility is also ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 certified.

Our efforts for making sustainable products affordable for everyone

Our product price reflects the cost and value of top-quality raw materials, our sustainable and ethical supply chain, and our determination to provide you only with the best.

That being said, we are constantly directing all our energy and efforts into exploring new and innovative raw materials that can make our products more affordable. Our R&D Centre is equipped with 8 departments, all of which are hard at work trying to come up with feasible products.

As we grow, we are also aiming to establish a more cost-effective and fully vertically integrated supply chain that can not only allow us to manufacture high-quality sustainable raw materials that go into making our finished products but also help us reduce our dependency on a highly volatile supply chain and periodic price fluctuations.

We hope you’ll take a chance on us today, so that we can get the chance to make the world a better place for every menstruator out there with every passing day. Your patronage make us who we are; as always, we are incredibly grateful for, blessed and humbled by every action you take to support our journey!

The post Why sustainability is worth every single rupee appeared first on Ignite the Spark.

From a single pad to a whole range

The Sparkle story started with a simple science experiment in a little kitchen where we made our first sanitary napkin. We used a homemade die and paper lamination machine, manually cut up banana fibers using scissors and cooked them in a pressure cooker to make them soft and absorbent!

After six months of trial and error, we had our first Sparkle pad. Now that our dreams had taken a physical form, we had to scale up, and we knew that no kitchen would be big enough to hold the size of our aspirations. We developed an in-house automatic fiber chopping machine and invested in technology to automate some of the laborious steps of the production process.

We know that women have to deal with different flows during their periods, from the first day’s gushes of blood to the last day’s unexpected stains. So, we experimented and researched until we created a whole range of natural sanitary napkins with a mixture of different materials. But we still had one major problem. Our pads were expensive compared to conventional and popular plastic-based pads. We couldn’t compromise on being eco-friendly or the quality of our product, so we went back to the lab.

Finally, after almost two and half years, we created pads that could be sold at just Rs 59 per box of seven pads. We had finally come closer to eliminating one of the biggest barriers to sustainability- the high cost of products. As we grow, we continue to work hard towards developing even more sustainable and affordable sanitary pads to make sure they are accessible for everyone.

The Lives We’ve Changed

Our objective was never just to sell pads, we wanted to touch people’s lives to create change, and we never forgot that. So, when our pads were ready for sale, we started the ‘Buy One Give One’ initiative through which every time we sell a banana fiber pad online, we donate a pad to underprivileged women who could not afford it.

This wasn’t enough though, because menstruation is still a topic that is considered a taboo. Cultural and social stigma prevents young girls and women from getting information about how to manage their periods safely and hygienically. With the help of gynecologists, volunteers and community members we conducted awareness seminars in rural communities so that girls can learn to treat menstruation as a healthy part of their lives.

The next challenge that we took on was sanitation workers’ safety and the proper disposal of pads. We came up with an eco-friendly disposable bag that women could use to dispose of their soiled sanitary napkins. We started providing individual disposal bags made with corn based bio-plastic with every pad for hassle-free and safe disposal of used sanitary pads.

We wanted to give back to the community, and we had made a good head start in that direction. That’s when the COVID 19 pandemic hit and most of our initiatives had to be put on hold temporarily. Migrants and daily wage workers were walking miles to reach their hometowns, and we realized that these women needed us now more than ever. Many NGOs provided food and water to migrants, but no one had considered sanitary products. Periods didn’t stop during the pandemic, so neither did we. We gave away over 100,000 sanitary pads to women and young girls affected by the pandemic.

We founded Sparkle to promote gender equality, improve menstrual health, support circular economy and reduce plastic pollution by making sustainable, plastic-free and chemical-free sanitary pads affordable and accessible for everyone.

We will continue to keep this Sparkle story going until we can include every single woman in our story by being a part of their lives. We sincerely thank everyone who helped us get this far: our team members, volunteers, NGO partners, community members and most importantly, our customers, for choosing sustainable period products and helping us build a better world.

We hope that you will continue to be a part of our journey.

The post The Sparkle Story: Our First Year & First Chapter appeared first on Ignite the Spark.

At Sparkle, we are aware that, for as long as the human race exists, the generation of waste materials will also exist. So, what we can do is focus on reducing the amount of waste, while also trying our best to develop products that can generate biodegradable waste. This will allow our planet to breathe and prevent the accumulation of toxic materials and non-biodegradable pollutants that do not decompose for hundreds of years. This is where proper solid waste management systems come into play. Keeping reading to know more:

The Fundamental Problem And Its Solution

What’s keeping organizations from adapting and implementing effective solid management procedures? The answer to this question is quite simple, yet so complicated. To begin with, solid waste management is a challenge because of the increasing amount of waste generation and the corresponding low budget allocations for various municipal corporations. The lack of infrastructure also affects the organized segregation, collection and transportation of waste materials including menstrual and other sanitary waste. In addition to these, solid waste management also requires efforts to raise the overall awareness of why we need to do this and how we can help the environment by doing so.

What About Sanitary Pads?

Yes, what about them? ‘segregation’ and ‘proper disposal’ have been the main obstacles concerning the management of the waste generated by menstrual products. Conventional sanitary pads contain up to 90% plastic and other petrochemical byproducts which remain unchanged in the landfill for around 600-800 years after disposal. What makes brands like Sparkle and other natural pad brands a better choice is that they do not contain plastic. Since these pads are made with bio-based, natural and compostable ingredients, they can break down much faster than conventional plastic pads, even in a landfill.

Another issue that needs to be addressed in the same context is that, apart from the accumulation of waste in dump yards, the exposure of used sanitary pads can cause a series of serious health problems to the sanitation workers as it is easy for several germs and infections to culture on a bloody pad which is left out in the open. This may lead to life-threatening health issues for these workers in the long run.

Controlling The Damage

From our individual choices about what type of products we purchase and how we dispose of them, to municipal or national waste management systems that include large scale industrial material recovery facilities or landfills, we can see that waste generation is a process that cannot be avoided completely. What we can do is try and bring in an effective waste management system from the time of production to the consumption of various products. For instance, plastic-free and chemical-free Sparkle pads are made from natural and sustainable plant-based ingredients. To ensure responsible disposal of used sanitary pads and to make segregation of sanitary pad waste easier, Sparkle provides individual leak proof and odor resistant disposal bags made from corn based bioplastic with every pad. This initiative is also aimed at reducing the risks of healthcare and sanitation workers who handle the waste after its disposal.

Next On The List

As a brand that has always been proactive in coming up with innovative and environment-friendly solutions, Sparkle’s next move is to provide a large disposal bag with each box of 7 pads.  Customers can do their part by putting smaller individual disposal bags containing soiled pads inside the bigger, clearly marked disposal bag which can be easily identified by sanitation workers when segregating bio-medical waste at source. The bigger disposal bag, with all the soiled pads inside, will have instructions written in multiple languages as well as icons that visibly highlight that the disposal bag contains bio-medical waste. We believe that this simple idea can help waste-collectors segregate the waste materials at the source itself, and transfer them to the respective waste management facility, such as industrial composting facilities or bio-medical waste management facilities.

Our Long-Term Goal

When companies that manufacture and sell products put in genuine efforts towards educating customers about the entire product life cycle, starting from transparently outlining all the ingredients to facilitating ways to properly dispose the product after being used, we can initiate a sustainable change at a large scale.  At Sparkle, we believe that once an effective waste management system is set in motion, customers will gradually adapt to segregating sanitary pads/diapers/condoms/tampons/tissues and other biomedical waste materials accordingly.

This initiative can then be launched as a nationwide campaign that can lead to significant alterations in government policies such as introducing biomedical waste segregation, collection and transportation systems within local waste collection facilities. We hope to encourage municipal waste collection systems to introduce a new category of waste in addition to ‘dry waste’ and ‘wet waste’ that can accommodate biomedical waste materials. As the biomedical waste collection system evolves and segregation at source becomes more efficient, this category can be further divided into biodegradable and non-biodegradable bio-medical waste. The biodegradable waste can be directed to industrial composting facilities and the non-biodegradable waste can be directed to solid bio-medical waste management facilities. This will help prevent the thousands of tonnes of waste from going to a landfill thereby reducing the amount of waste that is being accumulated.

We are aware that the journey towards establishing a proper waste management system towards this purpose can be quite challenging. Nevertheless, we are sure it is going to be a fulfilling one. After all, it is for the greater good of our planet and its people in the coming years.

The post Choose Better: For You And For The Environment appeared first on Ignite the Spark.

In this article, we will discuss the biodegradability and compostability of ingredients used in the different layers of a sanitary pad.

Today, health-conscious and eco-conscious consumers are willing to go the extra mile to purchase products that are good for the environment. Some brands take advantage of this fact and use misleading eco-friendly terminology to trick you into buying something that may not really be as sustainable as you might have thought. 

Before we get into the technicalities, let us understand the composition of the different layers in a sanitary pad:

Sanitary pads are available in a wide range of styles and absorbencies. Most commercial sanitary pads are made with multiple layers wherein each layer is chosen with desired characteristics for a specific function as described below.

Synthetic Ingredients Used In Conventional Sanitary Pads

Did you know that conventional sanitary pads contain up to 90% plastic and remain unchanged in landfills for around 600-800 years after their disposal?

 Sustainable Plant-Based Ingredients Used In A Sparkle Sanitary Pad

We have carefully chosen sustainable plant-based ingredients that are gentle on your skin and kind to the planet. Made from banana fibres, bamboo fibres and corn starch, Sparkle pads do not contain plastics, perfumes or other harsh chemicals.                                     

The law does not require menstrual hygiene product manufacturers to disclose the ingredients. At Sparkle, we hold ourselves to higher standards. Instead of using misleading words, we believe in sharing the details of our offerings openly.

*Due to limitations in global technological advancements, 100% biodegradable and compostable hot-melt adhesive suitable for our application does not exist anywhere in the world yet. We are continuously collaborating with leading adhesive companies across the globe to develop a newer, more sustainable grade of hot-melt adhesive that can be suitable to be used in Sparkle pads.  

At the moment, Sparkle pads are made up of around 97% bio-based, natural and compostable ingredients that can biodegrade in about 6 months of disposal under ideal microbial conditions. The remaining 2-3% of ingredients that may not be classified as 100% biodegradable and compostable materials, mainly include hot-melt adhesives, as no suitable alternatives are available at the moment.

To learn more about what happens to a soiled sanitary pad after you throw it in a waste bin, where it ends up, and the biodegradability and compostability of the same in a landfill, please read the following section: 

Part 3: Guidelines For The Disposal Of Soiled Sanitary Pads

The post Synthetic Ingredients Used In Conventional Sanitary Pads And Their Sustainable Alternatives appeared first on Ignite the Spark.

While doing this, we don’t realize the fact that by disposing pad waste irresponsibly, we are poisoning our planet with tons of plastic and harsh petrochemicals. Because most sanitary napkins available in the market use non-compostable, synthetic materials. Even many companies that claim to sell 100% biodegradable and compostable sanitary napkins are just using these buzzwords as marketing gimmick.

So, before we start the discussion on how to dispose of a sanitary pad sustainably, we must understand critical concerns that conventional sanitary pads bring to our lives.

The Real Problem: Surge in Plastic Pollution from Sanitary Napkin Waste

The major issue lies in the composition of conventional pads that contain up to 90% plastic and other petrochemical byproducts which remain unchanged in the landfill for around 600-800 years after disposal.

Currently, only in India, with 1 in 6 women using pads, around 150,000 tons of pad waste is generated per year. If all of India’s 355 million women start using pads, it will result in approximately 1,000,000 tons of pad waste annually. 

Here is a shocking estimation by Global Health Non-Profit, PATH “over 1 billion non-compostable sanitary pads are making their way into urban sewerage systems, landfills, rural fields and water bodies in India every month.”

Sanitary napkins that get dumped in acres of landfills get picked up by birds and animals, which in turn lead to the pollution of land and water. Microscopic plastic particles that reach the ocean get transferred through multiple layers of the food chain, where the final result could even end up on your plate.

To tackle these issues, waste management systems have evolved over the years. However, when it comes to disposal of soiled sanitary napkins, there is no clarity on classification of sanitary pad waste. 

The Confusion: Solid Waste vs. Biomedical Waste

According to Indian Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, “items contaminated with blood and body fluids, including cotton, dressings, soiled plaster casts, linens and bedding, are bio-medical waste and should be incinerated, autoclaved or microwaved to destroy any pathogens.”

However, according to the Indian Solid Waste Management (SWM), soiled napkins, diapers, condoms, tampons and blood-soaked cotton, which are household waste, should be disposed of after its segregation into biodegradable and non-biodegradable nature.

Even if you have a backyard composting pit at your home, it is not recommended to compost feminine hygiene products such as pads, tampons, panty-liners or wipes that come in contact with bodily fluids. Because homemade composting systems do not provide an adequate environment or temperature that kill the bacteria and the pathogens. 

Most of the industrial compost facilities do not accept sanitary pad wastes too. Even in developed countries like the United States, sanitary pad waste ends up in landfills since the customary disposal system is the solid waste stream.

Current Methods Used in India for Soiled Sanitary Pads Disposal

In urban areas, women typically dispose of used sanitary pads in a waste bin, where they eventually end up in a landfill. 

In rural areas, women bury them in a pit. 

In public areas such as schools, offices or municipal toilets, where women may not have access to waste disposal bins, they flush the used sanitary pad in the toilet or even leave them in the corners.

Since non-biodegradable sanitary pads do not decompose for a long time, they lead to the clogging of toilets, sewerage systems and drains. 

Moreover, the social stigma surrounding menstruation and the lack of proper infrastructure for the collection and disposal of sanitary pad waste can lead to serious health and environmental hazards in India.

Recommended Options for Disposal of Different Sanitary Wastes (as per MHM Guidelines 2015)

Source: Indian Menstrual Hygiene Management National Guidelines

Incinerating conventional pads that contain up to 90% plastic is not the ideal method to dispose of a sanitary pad since it releases harmful gases into the environment. Disposing of conventional plastic pads in landfills is not ideal either as they remain unchanged for around 600-800 years after disposal.

The Smart Option: Switch to Natural and Sustainable Sanitary Pads

Until we can collectively find a better solution to this massive environmental and health obstacle caused by sanitary pad waste disposal, you can take it upon yourself to reduce plastic pollution caused by conventional pads and switch to sustainable products instead. (But ensure you are taking an informed decision and buying genuine products that mention their complete list of ingredients.)

How Sparkle is Addressing the Pad Waste Challenge

We started Sparkle with an objective to provide sustainable, affordable and effective period products to everyone. We wanted to provide a genuine, reliable alternative. But we faced some fundamental challenges when we were developing the initial prototype. 

To get Sparkle sanitary pads certified as biodegradable and compostable products, we contacted globally reputed agencies such as ‘Biodegradable Products Institute’ that provides certification services for compostable products. We received the following reply from the ‘Biodegradable Products Institute’:

“We do not certify sanitary pads because compost sites will not accept them. We only certify items that are acceptable at compost facilities.”

This reply made us re-examine the fundamental problem we were trying to solve, which was developing a compostable product which may never end up at an industrial compost facility. 

That’s when we shifted our focus to developing a sanitary pad with sustainable, bio-based and natural ingredients that could easily biodegrade after disposal. 

We realised that rather than making a sanitary pad that could claim the tag of 100% biodegradable or compostable, it would be better to focus on using natural ingredients that could break down quickly after its disposal, along with regular garbage.

We manufactured a product that’s made from plant-based ingredients like banana fibre, bamboo fibre, and cornstarch. 

No plastic. No harsh chemicals and no toxic fragrances. Sparkle sanitary pads can break down much faster than conventional plastic pads, even in the landfill.

Importantly, each pack of Sparkle pads comes with individual travel friendly bags for hassle free disposal.

Conclusion

This article was an attempt to help you transform yourself into a smart consumer of sustainable products. Because it’s in your hand: what impact you want to have on your surroundings. By making a wise decision, you can make a positive difference in the environment and in the society at large.

Begin your sustainable journey today.

Welcome to Sparkle!

The post Breaking the Dilemma of Sanitary Pads Disposal appeared first on Ignite the Spark.

So, as a brand that truly believes in full transparency, we have put together a simple guide that can help bring you more clarity as to the different ingredients we use to make our Sparkle pads. This guide will also point out the common misconceptions about biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads available in the market.

Before we get into the technicalities, let’s start with a quick quiz to test your knowledge about the sanitary pads you currently use:

1. What is the difference between a biodegradable product and a compostable product?
2. Are you sure that the sanitary pad you currently use is biodegradable or compostable?
3. What types of plastic or other petrochemical byproducts are present in your sanitary pads, and what are their quantities?
4. What is the correct way to dispose of a used sanitary pad?
5. What happens to a soiled sanitary pad, after you throw it into a waste bin?
6. How many years (or hundreds of years) does it take for a used sanitary pad to decompose after disposal?

By the time you complete reading this guide, you will have all the information you need to make an informed decision before your next purchase. You will also learn how to identify and interpret misleading buzzwords that are used by certain brands to trick you into buying something that may not really be as eco-friendly as you might have thought once.        

To help you understand the concept of biodegradability and compostability better, especially in the context of sanitary pads, we have divided this guide into the following three parts:

• Part 1: Understanding Biodegradability And Compostability Of Different Materials
• Part 2: Synthetic Ingredients Used In Conventional Sanitary Pads And Their Sustainable Alternatives
• Part 3: Guidelines For Proper Disposal Of Soiled Sanitary Pads

Part 1: Understanding Biodegradability And Compostability Of Different Materials

Unfortunately, the terms ‘biodegradable’, ‘compostable’, ‘oxo-degradable’ and many such others are frequently misused in marketing and advertising to sell products that may not entirely be eco-friendly. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they are not synonymous.                               

To get clarity on the exact differences between biodegradability and compostability, let’s understand how we utilize different plant-based, animal-based or natural mineral-based resources, while transforming their inherent properties to develop value-added products that we use in our day-to-day lives.

What Comes From Nature Eventually Goes Back Into Nature

Everything created by nature will eventually degrade into basic building blocks that will in turn, constitute nature itself. Even raw crude oil will eventually breakdown when exposed to water, air and salts, if given enough time.

If the material is in its relatively natural form, it can easily break down into natural elements, carbon dioxide, and water vapour by organisms like bacteria and fungi. However, if the material is synthesised in a lab from element combinations that do not exist in nature, there may not be corresponding micro-organisms that can break them down. For example, products made from man-made petrochemical compounds are altered in such a way that they are unrecognisable to microorganisms and enzymes that return natural materials to their basic building blocks. Therefore, plastic as well will not break down back into the petroleum from which it is created.

What does the term ‘biodegradable’ mean?

The term ‘biodegradable’ has no legal definition which can be used to clearly differentiate between materials that fall either under the category of biodegradable or non-biodegradable.         

According to European Bioplastics, “Biodegradation is a chemical process during which microorganisms that are available in the environment convert materials into natural substances such as water, carbon dioxide, and compost (artificial additives are not needed). The process of biodegradation depends on the surrounding environmental conditions (e.g. location or temperature), on the material and the application.”

In other words, if something is biodegradable, it simply means that it will break down over some time. Biodegradability is a very vague term since it does not define the length of time needed for products to decompose.

Technically, just about everything can be called ‘biodegradable’, although it may take hundreds and thousands of years for items to biodegrade.

According to an Ohio State professor, Frederick Michel, Polyethylene (PE), the most widely used plastic, technically biodegrades 0.1% every ten years if present under the soil. Dr Michel points out, “Is it therefore biodegradable? Probably not.”

Some companies are quite straightforward with their objective – they make specific claims about the timeframe and the environmental conditions under which their products can biodegrade instead of simply claiming the tag of “biodegradability” without establishing further context. Materials that take a long time to biodegrade or have a very poor degradation rate are often referred to as ‘non-biodegradable‘.

As a smart consumer, you should ask yourself the following questions whenever you purchase a ‘biodegradable’ product:

• Is the material relatively in its natural form, or has it been synthesised in a lab from combinations of elements that do not exist in nature?
• How long does it take for the material to actually break down?
• Are there any contaminants or toxic substances left behind during the degradation process?

It is also important to note that it may take longer for items to biodegrade in landfills where the light, temperature and bacterial activities required for degradation are not at the optimal level. For example, even relatively natural materials such as orange or banana peels may also take around a year to biodegrade in landfills.

In most cases, it is the temperature and the level of microbial activity, which determines the rate and level of biodegradation.

What does the term “compostable” mean?

Compostable materials (a subset of biodegradable materials) are made from natural materials that can decompose fully into ‘compost’ without producing visible, distinguishable, or toxic residue in a specific timeframe under certain conditions.           

However, to be classified as ‘compostable’, products must meet all the requirements defined by globally accepted standards such as the European Standard EN 13432 or the US Standard ASTM D6400.

Here is a brief summary of the EN 13432 requirements for ‘compostable’ products:

• Biodegradation of 90% of the materials should occur in a commercial composting unit within 180 days.
• No more than 10% of material fragments should be larger than 2mm after 12 weeks.
• Leftover compost should be free of toxins.
• There should not be any adverse impacts on the ability of the compost to support plant growth.

Compostable materials are also biodegradable, but biodegradable materials may not be compostable.

It is also important to note that composting is a controlled process that usually happens in an industrial composting facility. Not all compostable materials are suitable for home composting unless the product has been certified as ‘home compostable’.

At an industrial compost facility, a temperature of around 60C is maintained in the presence of certain microorganisms for a duration of 90 days to create compost which can be repurposed for agriculture. Home backyard composting, on the other hand, refers to the cooler aerobic breakdown of organic matter at atmospheric temperatures.

As a smart consumer, it is essential for you to get yourself familiarised with some of the logos provided by global agencies for compostable products:

Besides the terms ‘biodegradable’ and ‘compostable’, there are a few other terms that are often misinterpreted.

Bio-based: A term often used to define organic materials in which the carbon comes from contemporary (non-fossil) biological sources such as corn, cereals, sugar beets, cassava or sugarcane crops.                                            

Oxo-degradable: A conventional petroleum-based plastic mixed with an additive in order to imitate biodegradation. Oxo-degradable plastics break down into smaller and smaller pieces, also known as microplastics. However, they do not break down at the molecular or polymer level. In other words, microplastics remain unchanged in the environment for hundreds of years.

Source: European Bioplastics

What does the term ‘organic’ mean?

Brands that claim that their products are made with 100% organic materials should honestly and transparently disclose the traceability and certifications for the organic ingredients used in their products.

As an intelligent consumer, you should look for the following logos provided by global agencies for certifying organic products before making an informed purchase-oriented decision.

To better understand the concept of biodegradability and compostability, especially in the context of sanitary pads, please read the information given below:

Part 2: Synthetic Ingredients Used In Conventional Sanitary Pads And Their Sustainable Alternatives

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Supporting The Local Economy And Agriculture

A major aspect of giving back to society revolves around the development of its local communities. The local economy in India consists of farmers and small-scale labourers who work day-in and day-out to make ends meet. Supporting them will include initiatives that help reduce their burden and focus on their upliftment in societal activities. Initiatives such as ‘Buy One, Give One’, focuses on this aspect of the economy. Manufacturing natural pads made from banana fibres helps banana farmers get rid of their agro-waste and make money out of it at the same time. Companies such as Sparkle buy these stems that become useless after the harvest and transform them into sustainable raw material to manufacture natural and biodegradable sanitary pads.

Furthering The Swachh Bharat And ‘Make In India’ Initiative

Another criterion that makes a collective effort significant is how it helps further the vision and mission of the Government by helping in the implementation of various campaign ideologies. Pad manufacturing companies are in the position of contributing to initiatives such as the ‘Make In India’ and the ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaigns in several ways. Natural pads such as Sparkle pads further the vision of the ‘Make In India’ campaign as they are indigenous, right from the extraction of pulp from the agro-waste, to the environment-friendly packaging of each pad. In addition, the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India (MHAI) has stated that India has to account for about 12.3 billion sanitary napkins every year, the majority of which are not biodegradable or compostable. Natural pads will thus help in reducing the non-biodegradable burden on the Earth, as these pads decompose naturally without adding to the toxic waste materials that harm the environment. Another way by which natural pads help cleanliness campaigns such as ‘Swachh Bharat’ is that they help reduce the overall agro-waste. For example, pads made from banana fibres are manufactured from the pulp extracted from the agro-waste generated from banana farms after the harvest. As this significantly reduces the amount of agro-waste generated by banana farmers, the vision of the ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign is unequivocally furthered by the same.

Living A Plastic-Free  Life

Conventional sanitary pads contain significant amount of plastic and synthetic fibres that do not biodegrade for thousands of years. They remain unchanged in the landfill and therefore, continue to add to the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. Natural pads, on the other hand, do not contain any synthetic components – they do not come with any side effects or hidden dangers. Countries all across the globe are slowly switching to natural products because of this reason. Citizens around the world are slowly gaining more awareness about the ill effects of using plastic, and how harmful it is to one’s health and the environment. In addition to that, most of the “premium” sanitary pads sold in India today are low-cost pads imported from countries such as China – these are almost always re-branded and re-marketed under another name. Companies such as Sparkle, focus on curbing such practices and reducing India’s dependence on other countries by establishing and supporting a circular economy. This will not only increase the welfare of the country, but also promote a plastic-free lifestyle.

One Step Closer To A Better Tomorrow

The long term vision behind coming up with initiatives that help the environment and the economy, is to enable human beings to live and strive for progress, sustainably. We should recognise the importance of leaving behind a healthy world for future generations, by staying away from toxic materials such as plastic, and other artificially-made substances that degrade the atmosphere. It is always a good idea to choose natural products made with sustainable ingredients. If not for new companies that care deeply about conducting business with a sense of social responsibility instead of just being driven by the desire to maximize profit, the world would have no hope in the coming decades. So, are you ready to vouch for a ‘natural-products-only’ lifestyle from today?

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