A bloody success – free period products program launched in schools!

citytosea

Both primary and secondary state schools and colleges in England can now order free period products as part of a government scheme to tackle period poverty amongst students. This is a bloody success for health rights, equal education and female empowerment and we want to extend a huge congratulations to the Free Period campaign who have been pushing this onto government agenda since April 2017!

This new system is based on the successful Scottish model - schools will be able to chose which period products to order through a credit-based portal created by the company Phs. Each school will have a budget and this budget can be spent in the way that best suits the needs of the pupils. Products will be provided in schools via a ‘basket solution’ in washrooms, via reception or via the well-being officer/ school nurse.

What products will be on offer?

We want to extend a huge thanks to the nearly 40,000 of you who signed our petition last year, calling on the Department for Education to only send plastic-free products to schools. Thanks to you, we managed to convince the Department to include environmental criteria in their tendering process, and now organic and reusable products are on offer!

- Standard tampons and pads from Proctor and Gamble

- Standard tampons and pads from Lil-lets

- Organic tampons and pads from Lil-lets

- Reusable pads from Bloom & Nora

- Menstrual cups from Mooncup

Does your school want to see more eco-friendly products on offer? Maybe paper applicator tampons or a reusable DAME applicator, period pants or another type of reusable pad? Phs have made it clear that this is a demand-led service, based on the needs of students and schools. If your school finds itself running out of credit, or wanting to provide different products to their students then Phs are open to feedback and dialogue.

You can find an email template to Phs about their product offering here (including their email address).

If you’re a member of school staff, there are 4 things to think about right now:

  • 1. Make sure your school admin team look out for an email from Phs to set up your account.
  • 2. Chat to the members of staff at your school responsible for ordering products. Explain the benefits of choosing organic disposable products and reusable products – for student health, for the planet and for long-term economic sustainability.
  • 3. Consider signing up to our FREE Rethink Periods training program. 600 PSHE teachers and school nurses across the UK will receive training, resources and a product demo box worth £120. Research and case studies from across the world show that period poverty schemes are most affective when combined with comprehensive period education.
  • 4. If you’d like to see more plastic-free and reusable products on offer through Phs, email them using our template, or write your own message. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to rise to the government challenge for schools to go plastic-free by 2022!

Support from teachers

Rachel Carson, Primary school teacher

“There is a gaping hole in understanding the plastic problem and school is a great place to start making a difference. Providing plastic-free period products to combat period poverty seems like a golden opportunity to lift girls out of embarrassment and shame whilst simultaneously investing in their future. Having recently declared a climate emergency, we should all make this a priority.” 

Saskia Boujo, Secondary school teacher

"As a secondary PSHE teacher I am faced with the reality of young people not having access to menstrual products: misinformation, absenteeism, stigma around menstruation.  Schools have a duty to open up the conversation so young people can choose from the options available to them, as well as a duty to promote sustainability for better health and for better education. The plastic-free periods movement goes a long way to improve young people’s lives. "

Sasha Gibson, Deputy Principal, Sinclair House School

“It is the children of today, and years to come, who have the true power to make a difference and ‘save’ the world. It is therefore our role and responsibility as educators to equip them with the knowledge and understanding of our current climate emergency within our curriculums. Our recent whole-school ‘Save the World’ Spring Term focus highlighted how passionate our children feel towards supporting a healthier and more sustainable world. Plastic-free period should be implemented without delay.”

Find out more

Find more information here about how to order products, what is on offer, your responsibilities, how to make products available, how to promote the scheme and relevant case studies. If you have any problems or struggle to reach Phs, you can phone them at: 01827 255500 or email: [email protected].

We hope that this scheme, alongside our education program Rethink Periods (and all the other great work going on in this area) helps to reduce stigma and shame around periods, shine a light on period poverty, protect our planet and promote equality.

 

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Help us bring #PlasticFreePeriods to the high-street!

Hannah Giles

Today, in celebration of Environmenstrual Week we’ve launched a new campaign to help bring plastic-free periods to the high-street.

It’s currently a #BloodyShame

With 86% of the British public being worried about the impact of plastic pollution, and one pack of period pads containing the same amount of plastic as 5 carrier bags. We think people deserve choice when it comes to how they manage their periods.

Period products are the 5th most common item found on Europe’s beaches - more widespread than single-use coffee cups, cutlery or straws. Most of these products find their way into our waterways and onto our beaches. This is because they’ve been incorrectly disposed of - flushed down the toilet.

Almost half of British people with periods buy their period products in the ​supermarket. Yet four of the 9 main UK retailers don’t stock a single plastic-free period product. This includes Morrisons, one of The Big 4! Of those who do stock plastic-free products, none stock the full range (plastic-free disposables, menstrual cups, period pants, reusable pads) in all their stores. A recent UK survey told us that people who haven’t switched to #plasticfreeperiods say that their main barrier was the lack of plastic-free products where they shop.

We think it’s a #BloodyShame that supermarkets aren’t offering more plastic-free options. Especially, since most of them have signed up to support the UK Plastics Pact – an industry-wide initiative which says it aims to reduce avoidable plastic waste. Clearly the Plastics Pact is not holding up too well in UK supermarkets aisles!

We think that people with periods deserve to be able to menstruate without involving single-use plastic and they deserve it wherever they live. Wherever they shop.

The campaign is backed by a number of high-profile sportswomen. Including Team GB Surf Ambassador and Love Island star Laura Crane, record-breaking paddleboarder Cal Major, world-record holding free-diver Tanya Streeter and cold-water swimmer Sophie Hellyer. They are championing the cause and raising awareness of the hidden plastics in period products.

Natalie Fee, Founder of City to Sea said: "We lead busy lives and it is a bloody shame that we're not being given choices when it comes to buying our period products on the go. We want to put an end to hidden plastics in period products, they're totally unnecessary and choking our oceans"

Help us turn the tide 

We’re calling on UK retailers to start stocking plastic-free period products. And we need your help! Join us by becoming a period detective and finding out what’s available in your local supermarket. Share your findings on social media and tag the retailer so they know you’re onto them. We want to hear which retailers are supporting their customers to go plastic-free, and which need to up their game.

  • If you find plastic-free products

    Upload a picture or video clip of your findings, tagging @citytosea_, the supermarket and using the hashtag a #BloodySuccess! If you find plastic-free options, but not the ones you wanted then let the supermarket know!

  • If you don’t find any plastic-free options

    Upload a picture or video clip of you with the hashtag a #BloodyShame. Tagging the supermarket to tell them what you were after.

What are we asking retailers to do?

With your help we’re calling on UK supermarkets to increase the availability and range of plastic free period products in all of their stores.

Thanks to the work of many Environmenstrual Coalition members (like Ella Daish who ran this petition), some supermarkets are starting to get the message. Also, this August Sainsburys announced that their own-brand tampons would no longer include plastic applicators. This past year alone has seen various retailers add Hey Girls, Bloom & Nora, DAME, Natracare, TOTM, Mooncup and Flux Undies to their shelves.

We want to see ALL supermarkets offering a FULL RANGE of choice to people with periods. In ALL of their stores.  So, get onto your local high-street to highlight which stores are a #BloodySuccess and which are a #BloodyShame!

Go Plastic-free with your period

We've been campaigning on the issue for the last few years - find out more about what we've been up to and how to a have a plastic-free period.

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It’s time to Rethink Periods

Hannah Giles

We’ve launched an exciting new period education programme

Unicef estimates that on average menstruators spend 3,000 days menstruating during their life. So, we think it’s about time we Rethink Periods, and shake up period education in England.

Rethink Periods is our free, nationwide schools programme to update period education. With unbiased information on all period products available, as well as the social and environmental contexts of periods. From October 2019, we’ll be giving 600 schools with everything they need to educate and empower students when it comes to their period education.

why do we need to Rethink Periods?

In 2018, we ran a pilot with the support of Anglian Water and found that often periods are not covered in enough depth in schools, with boys regularly left out of the discussion. In addition, period education is often based on a few products, dominated by leading brands in a bid to hook consumers on their products for life. Above all, period education rarely touches on environmental impacts, including how to dispose of products. In the UK alone, 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million pads are flushed down the toilet EVERY SINGLE DAY. As a result, we think students need education on ALL the products available to them, including plastic-free and reusable options, helping prevent damage to our oceans.

become a rethink periods ambassador

To become the Rethink Periods ambassador for your school, you can contact us to book on to a training session or find out more about the programme. By taking part you will get:

Detailed Lesson plans and teaching resources. These cover four topics including period products, the environment, myths and taboos, and period poverty.

Teacher training from our Rethink Periods expert trainers. Our trainers will guide teachers through all the menstrual products available. As well as the lesson plans and teaching resources . They will also demonstrate how the lessons can be taught in a dynamic, informative and engaging way.

A product demonstration box worth £110. With examples of every menstrual product currently on the market, including reusables and plastic-free or organic disposables.

All of this is completely free, and we can't wait to start booking teachers on to training sessions and sharing our wonderful resources. If you work in a school, please share Rethink Periods with your headteacher or PSHE leads, and if you are a student, let your teachers know you want this in your school. Equally, as a parent please pass on our details to your child's school if you would like them to take part.

A big thank you to...

This project is in partnership with WEN and was made possible thanks to the Waitrose Plan Plastic Fund and Hubbub. With findings taken from our pilot project supported by Anglian Water.

We have been blown away by the generosity from companies who have supported this project by donating their products. This has enabled us to make the 600 school product demonstration boxes as well as 60 trainer and ambassador boxes.

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You spoke, will government listen?

citytosea

Today we handed in our petition calling for government to only send plastic-free period products into schools! Thanks to you, more than 37,000 people signed our petition, and well over 100 teachers declared their support for this premise.

We’ll keep you updated on the response from the newly appointed Education Secretary, but for now you can have a read of the letter we sent him:

Dear Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP,

Please find enclosed a petition signed by 37,112 people and a letter signed by over 100 teachers asking the Department of Education to only purchase plastic-free period products for schools. To save resources we have printed 18 pages of signatures on each sheet of paper, but we have also emailed the full PDF document.

In April 2019 We wrote to the former Education Secretary to welcome the government’s commitment to both tackling period poverty and eliminating single-use plastics in schools. We wrote specifically to seek clarification that the free period products that were to be provided to schools would be plastic-free, especially since government challenged schools to go plastic-free by 2022.

Here in the UK a staggering 4.3 billion disposable menstrual products are used every year! Many people don’t realise that most period pads (including Always, Bodyform and most supermarket own-brands) can contain up to 90% plastic – the equivalent of five plastic bags per pack of pads. Most tampons also contain a thin layer of plastic. What’s more, although no period products should go down the toilet, it’s estimated around 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million pads are flushed down the toilet every day in the UK – many of which block our sewer systems and escape into our rivers and seas.

We were therefore delighted to read the Department for Education’s response to our concerns in an article from Schools Week saying that the successful bidder for the schools contract “will be required to offer environmentally-friendly sanitary pads as a minimum, and are encouraged to provide further environmentally-friendly options (such as menstrual cups or eco-friendly tampons)”.

We were further heartened to read a response from Nadhim Zahawi MP to a Written Question from Alistair Carmichael MP that:

“consideration will be given to the extent to which the materials used in the products are sustainable, whether the products are biodegradable and whether the products are reusable.”

We hope therefore, in light of the Government’s commitment to eliminate single-use plastic from schools, the public commitment to sourcing ‘environmentally friendly pads’ that are ‘biodegradable’, the wide-spread public support illustrated through the 38 Degrees petition enclosed and the call from teaching professionals (as illustrated by the enclosed joint letter), that you will ensure that all period products going into schools will be plastic-free.

We look forward to hearing confirmation from you, and of course, we are willing to support and celebrate your positive work in this area moving forward in ensuring plastic-free period products are rolled out in English schools.

Yours Sincerely,

Jasmine Tribe

Campaigns Coordinator

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More than 100 Teachers sign Public Letter to the Department for Education

citytosea

Don’t flood our schools with single-use plastic period products, we’re trying to go plastic-free by 2022!

We are a group of teachers from across the UK, writing to you because we’re concerned about the ability of our schools to go plastic-free as your Department has challenged us to do. We are writing today to offer a simple and effective way you could support us in trying to go plastic free.

As teachers we recognise the importance of tackling period poverty. As such we welcome the announcement in the Spring Budget stating that this government would provide free period products to all school-age girls in England. We are writing today to seek confirmation that this government will ensure that all period products purchased with government funds including all those sent to our UK schools will either be plastic-free disposables or reusable products. This simple action could prevent the equivalent of 90 million plastic bags worth of plastic flooding into our schools.

We know that many people with periods and retailers don’t realise that most period pads (including Lil-lets, Always, Tampax and most supermarkets own-brands) can contain up to 90% plastic – the equivalent of five plastic bags per pack of pads. Without your support on this issue we fear it may be impossible for our schools to go single-use plastic free as you have asked us to do.

With all this in mind, could you please reassure us that government will not be sending period products into our schools that contain plastic.

Thank you again for the commitments to tackle both period poverty and plastic pollution and if you would like to discuss any of this further please do not hesitate in getting in touch with City to Sea who would be delighted to support you in this process. 

Yours sincerely, 

Rachel Carson, Primary school teacher 

“There is a gaping hole in understanding the plastic  problem and school is a great place to start making a difference. Providing plastic-free period products to combat period poverty seems like a golden opportunity to lift girls out of embarrassment and shame whilst simultaneously investing in their future. Why the government would not make this a priority, having recently declared a climate emergency, is beyond me.” 

Saskia Boujo, Secondary school teacher 

“As a secondary PSHE teacher I am faced with the reality of young people not having access to menstrual products: misinformation, absenteeism, stigma around menstruation.  Schools have a duty to open up the conversation so young people can choose from the options available to them, as well as a duty to promote sustainability for better health and for better education. So this petition is at the heart of improving young people’s lives.”

Sasha Gibson, Deputy Principal, Sinclair House School

“It is the children of today, and years to come, who have the true power to make a difference and ‘save’ the world. It is therefore our role and responsibility as educators to equip them with the knowledge and understanding of our current climate emergency within our curriculums. Our recent whole-school ‘Save the World’ Spring Term focus highlighted how passionate our children feel towards supporting a healthier and more sustainable world. The introduction of plastic-free period products is therefore not something we should be discussing or arguing over but instead, implementing without delay.”

Alex Barnes Geography teacher Hayes
Alice Powell Year 1 TA London
Alice Thubron Deputy of English West London
Amirah Miller Science Teacher West London
Andy Symms Year 6 class teacher London
Anita Molnar Cover teacher Bristol Secondary
Annette Rook Headteacher Tower Hamlets
Ashley Johnson Teaching Assistant Local authority infant school
Bethan Sleep French and English Teacher Local Authority Secondary School, North Wales
Catherine Southard Preschool teacher A nursery in London
Chella Quint Former head of PSHE, Founder of Period Positive Sheffield
Coralie Skerman-Gray Early Years teacher Independent (Letchworth)
Daniel SImson Depuy Head teacher Sefton Park School
Debbie Green Swimming Teacher Special Needs School
Dr Sweetpea Smart Teacher rtd/Invigilator Yeovil Academies
Eddie Mulvey Guitar Teacher Heath House Prep
Eleanor Walker Class Teacher Primary School, Bristol
Emma Carson Maths Teacher Catholic College
Francesca Paul Year 5 class teacher London
Gail Kelly Bursar Sunderland
Georgia Hodges Geography teacher Feltham
Georgina Tilyard Citizenship Teacher
Georgina Wilson DT teacher West London
Gianna Colligiani Yr 1 and 2 TA Bristol
Grace Bagshaw Class teacher Local Authority Infant School
Greg Orme Design technology and STEM Priory School, Lewes
Hannah Rowley Head of KS2 Charles Williams School, Caerleon, Wales
Henry Greenwood Founder and Managing Director Green Schools Project
Iain Ross Maths teacher St John’s School, Cyprus (MoD)
Ian Thomas Nurture Lead (HLTA) Secondary SEND school
Janet Tidman School Administrator Primary School, Ipswich
Jenny Flaherty Teaching Assistant Local Authority Infant School
Jo Dunbar Year 1 class teacher Sinclair house school
Jo Taylor Director at education consultancy Bristol
Joanna Cunningham repetition class teacher London
Karen Lambert EY leader Local authority infant school
Kat Bailey School Governor Infant and Junior school, Derbyshire
Kate Powell Primary Teacher Bristol
Kelly Hally Assistant Head Teacher Nottingham
Laura Cooper English teacher Halifax
Laura McLoughlin Year 3 class teacher London
Laura Ollis class teacher Somerset
Lee Rooke Head of PSHE KSHS, Lincolnshire
Louise McKee Biology teacher 6th form college, Manchester
Madeline Barker TA Kent grammar school
Marina Dickings Sociology & PSHE Stowmarket High
Matthew Haas Head of Round Square/Teacher Independent (Kent)
Michelle Lowe FS1, FS2, KS1 and Base Lead
Natasha Dadds TA Sinclair house school
Nicola Underhill KS3 coordinator Halifax
Nicole Packham Class Teacher Arunside, Horsham
Palmirah Joa Head of Science West London
Pat Walmsley 1:1 tutor Primary School Bristol
Rachel Carson Class teacher Local authority infant school
Rebecca Balmer Primary Teacher Bristol
Rebecca Peters Behaviour Support Special Needs School
Robert Slinn Teacher of Humanities Secondary School
Ruari Craig-Wood Deputy Head of English Desborough College
Sam Ferrara Teaching Assistant Sinclair House School
Sarah Clarke Class Teacher Gloucestershire
Sarah Lancashire-Clark Teaching Assistant Norwich
Shaila uddin Year 2 class teacher Sinclair house school
Simon Hutchinson PE Teacher London
Sophie Carr English teacher Halifax
Stella Morgan School Counsellor/ therapist Primary School, Tottenham
Steven Williams Year 4 class teacher Brunel Field, Bristol
Stewart Life SLE/Lead Practitioner Hellesdon High
Terri – Louise Bevan TA Sinclair house school
Tina Hampton Drama Teacher Local Authority Secondary School
Tom Moggach Class Teacher Primary School, London
Tom Stacy-Marks Class teacher (Year 5) Primary School, Bristol
Victoria Hendry Psychology Stowmarket High
Sandi Cummings Retired Teacher Wiltshire
Katherine Wells MFL Teacher Stowmarket High School, Suffolk
Ruth Price Teaching Assistant Cumbria
Anna Wesson Teaching Assistant Primary School, Cardiff
Jim Lancaster DT Technician & Site Manager Hampshire
Ellen Kemp Governor London
Lindsay Allix Parent Devon
Richard Holt Retired Teacher London
Michael Parsons Retired Swansea
Peter Ryland Retired teacher Norfolk
Bryan Bullen Woodland Manager Special Needs school
Alice Griffith KS2 Teacher Oxfordshire
Chrissie O’Hanlon Maths Teacher Secondary School
Sophie Lyle MFL teacher Secondary School
Anthea Blake Teacher Special Needs School
John Hopper FE Lecturer London
Jonny Kirman Class teacher London (Secondary)
Christine Jose Retired working 9 hours a week Southend Primary
Rebecca Rundle KS3 Maths Coordinator London
Hilary Standen Retired Teacher Staffordshire
Sophie Parsons Class Teacher London (Secondary)
Michael Williams Class Teacher London (Secondary)
Joseph Fairbairn IT Manager West Sussex
Valerie Bevan Secondary school teacher Cambridge
Mary Sarju Secondary Maths teacher Croydon
Rae Helm Communications and Marketing Co-ordinator High Storrs School
Edd Moore Year 3 Teacher and Eco Coordinator Damers First School, Dorset
Kate Clifton Science teacher Essex
Ruth Rigby Teaching Assistant Essex
Steve Bushby Teaching Assistant Norfolk
Mira Cooke Advisory Teacher Surrey
Tom Greenwood Vice Principal Greenwich
Roya K Rezaee Retired Blackheath
David Green School Crossing Patrol Gravesend
Ann Klaus Retired Teacher London
Lesley Giles Senior Professional Tutor Milton Keynes
Martin Berger Music teacher Kingston upon Hull
Teresa English Special Needs Teacher Norfolk
Tracey Hand Mathematics Teacher Reading
Kate Jackson Year 1 Teacher Hertford
Lynne Morton Class teacher
Rebecca Balmer Class teacher
Kate Powell Class teacher
Melonie Syrett RSE Consultant and Menstrual Expert London and Essex
Sarah Reeves Class Teacher South Wales 117

To join the call for plastic-free period products in schools, sign our petition here!

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Keep up the pressure – government are listening!

citytosea

Thanks to your support our latest petition calling on the government to only send plastic-free period products to schools is already having an impact.

When we first wrote to the Department of Education with this ask they responded saying:

“We are working to explore whether environmentally friendly products and sustainable products can be integrated into the period product scheme and further details of the scheme will be announced in due course.”

Now more than 30,000 of you have signed our petition and the government are taking notice. In a recent article from Schools Week the Department for Education responded to our concerns, saying that the successful bidder “will be required to offer environmentally-friendly sanitary pads as a minimum, and are encouraged to provide further environmentally-friendly options (such as menstrual cups or eco-friendly tampons)”.

We want to clarify that ‘environmentally-friendly’ includes plastic-free requirements and ensure that all disposable products offered are plastic-free, not just pads, and not just as an opt-in. This is vital to ensure that government don’t flood the school system with the equivalent of 90 million plastic bags, after having just challenged them to go plastic-free by 2022!

We want to hit 50,000 before the government tender for school period products closes, so please keep up the pressure and keep sharing the petition. Your action is making a difference!

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Understanding how we manage our Periods – survey T&C’s

citytosea

Fill out our survey to be in with a chance of winning a plastic-free bundle worth £90!

This prize includes:

Competition T&C’s:

  • To enter fill in the full survey and be sure to include your email address in the last question.
  • You must be over 18 years old to enter this prize-draw.
  • The survey must be completed before midnight on August 19th.
  • The winner will be selected at random on August 20th and told they’ve won via email.
  • If your name is drawn as the winner you must send us your full postal address within one month of receiving your confirmation of winning email (October 20th). If not City to Sea will draw another name.
  • These Prizes are non-transferable, are not exchangeable and have no cash or other alternative.
  • By entering this promotion, all participants will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by these terms and conditions.
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Sign the petition: Plastic Free Schools need Plastic Free Periods!

citytosea

We’ve just launched a new petition with 38 Degrees calling on the Department of Education to only purchase plastic-free period products for schools – setting young people up with products that are better for their bodies, the environment and their future.

Why is this important?

The government has made three promising commitments recently:

Having attended a government procurement meeting on period products for schools, it seems that they are not using joined up thinking to tackle all these problems at once. With all three commitments in mind we want the Department of Education to commit to only purchasing period products for schools that are plastic-free or reusable.

This would mean schools can offer students a range of plastic-free disposable products (tampons, pads and liners) and reusable products (menstrual cups and washable pads).

Here in the UK a staggering 4.3 billion disposable menstrual products are used every year. Many people don’t realise that most period pads (including Always, Bodyform and most supermarket own-brands) can contain up to 90% plastic – the equivalent of 4 plastic bags per pad! Most tampons also contain a thin layer of plastic. What’s more, although no period products should go down the loo, it’s estimated around 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million pads are flushed down the toilet every day in the UK – many of which block our sewer systems and escape into our rivers and seas.

In addition to the environmental benefits of providing plastic-free period products, a reusable product option provides immense cost savings over time and reduces ‘period poverty shame’ – those who require free products find it more dignified to do so every 2-10 years, as opposed to every month. Research shows that over a lifetime an individual can save up to 94% of what would have been spent on disposable products, by switching to reusable ones.

If you want the government to use joined-up thinking in tackling these issues and commit to supplying plastic-free and reusable period products for schools please sign and share our petition here!

UPDATE:

We have received a response from the Department of Education (copied in full below). It is clear that we need to illustrate demand for this. Please sign and share the petition >>>

Full response:

Thank you for your email of 18 April, forwarding Ms Natalie Fee’s letter of the same date, addressed to the Secretary of State for Education, Damien Hinds, about the supply of menstrual products in schools and colleges. I am sure you will appreciate that the Secretary of State receives a vast amount of correspondence and is unable to answer each one personally. It is for this reason I have been asked to reply.

Our aim is to ensure that all pupils and student can access education without worrying about their periods, which is why we announced the scheme to provide access to free period products in primary and secondary schools and 16-19 institutions in England.

We are developing this scheme in conjunction with stakeholders from the private, public and third sectors, as well as schools and 16-19 institutions to ensure our solution best meets the needs of all students and pupils.

As a government we are committed to encouraging the use of environmentally friendly products wherever possible. The Government’s 25-year Environment Plan was launched last January and this pledges the elimination of avoidable plastic waste by 2042 and promises to consider steps to discourage plastic items that prove difficult to recycle. To support this plan, the Department for Education’s Schools Commercial Team is working with its partners and suppliers who provide goods and services to schools, to help them to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics throughout the supply chain. 

We are working to explore whether environmentally friendly products and sustainable products can be integrated into the period product scheme and further details of the scheme will be announced in due course.

Thank you for writing to us on this important issue.

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Plastic Free Period product review – THINX period pants

citytosea

A City to Sea volunteer Daisy gives THINX period pants a try and reports back. These are her thoughts on this increasingly popular product for managing your period…plastic free!

‘I try to live in as environmentally-friendly way as possible, even during my period. I first learnt about reusable period products at Sussex Uni where they give out free Mooncups. As different reusable period products have grown in popularity, I thought I’d give another plastic free product a go with; the THINX pants.

I feel that with all the threats the planet is currently facing, now is the time to move away from single-use plastic period pads and tampons (which includes most supermarkets own-brands, Lil-lets, Tampax, Always, Bodyform) and try something new.

I first starting using THINX pants a few months ago – I trialled their ‘Hiphuggers’ (which hold up to two tampons worth of blood) and their ‘Cheeky’ (one tampons worth). They’re a great ethical company that have a pay-it-forward scheme and are general do-gooders in the movement against period poverty. THINX aim to empower young women through their schemes – giving women access to period products and providing funding for programs and services that support under privileged people with periods, including survivors of domestic violence, refugees, and the homeless.

Trailing the pants…

When you receive your THINX order they come in a sweet little bag that contains all the care information you need. At the beginning I was apprehensive about wearing them out in public and getting caught short, but I needn’t have worried.

I’m so happy to have discovered period pants – no longer will I experience the mad panic whilst staying at my in-laws house that I haven’t got any tampons and a) have to pretend I need something from the shops or b) have to ask my boyfriends mum for a tampon.

During the first few days of my cycle I used the pants alongside a Mooncup and after that the pants worked great on their own. They are the comfiest pants I own now, and, I sleep in them, cycle to work in them and can go about my daily life without worrying if I’ll get nappy rash or if the product will need readjusting like pads.

I’m comfortable with period blood but I know that many people aren’t. What’s great about THINX pants is that you don’t see any of the blood. The blood is absorbed by the pants’ black fabric, which is only 3mm thick, so they’re even less ‘gory’ than the usual tampon or pad.

Something that gives me great comfort about period pants is that the fear of toxic shock syndrome is non-existent. I also work at festivals and my full-time job is alongside adults with learning disabilities – now I no longer watch the clock wondering when I last put my tampon in or worrying when my next break will be so I can change my pad.

The only downside … 

The only downside to these THINX period pants is that they take a long time to dry – you need more than a couple of pairs or to have a thought-through washing routine. Other than that, THINX are very easy to care for, you just rinse them in the sink and then throw them in the washing machine.

I understand that the up-front cost of THINX pants mean that they aren’t accessible to everyone (at £25-£30 a pair). There are other cheaper brands out there like Modibodi and Cheeky Wipes that cost between £10 – £20 and even offer swimwear. Also, research shows that over a lifetime an individual can save up to 94% of what would have been spent on disposable products.

In my experience, period pants are bloody awesome! They’re a trustworthy investment for anyone with periods and I will be investing in another couple of pairs to circulate on my next cycle. Rather than buying a new top or a jumper that you don’t really need, why not try a reusable period product instead, it will change your periods forever.

Find out more about City to Sea’s Plastic Free Period Campaign here.

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Government urged not to flood schools with plastic period products months after challenging schools to go plastic free

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City to Sea have today written to the Education Secretary Damian Hinds MP, urging him to make sure that all period products purchased by this government will either be plastic-free disposables or reusable products.

The call comes after government confirmed that they would be providing free period products to both Primary and Secondary Schools in England and months after the Government challenged Schools to give up all single-use plastics by 2022.

Most period products contain plastic. Period pads for example (including Lil-lets, Always, Tampax and most supermarkets own-brands) often contain up to 90% plastic – the equivalent of four plastic bags per pad, as well as using single-use plastic for packaging the products.

Commenting, founder of City to Sea, Natalie Fee, said:

“Following the announcement to provide period products in schools we want to ensure this momentous and welcome action isn’t a travesty for the environment by ensuring all schools are provided plastic free products. As such we are seeking confirmation from government that they aren’t planning on flooding schools with single-use plastic period products just months after challenging schools to go plastic-free. There are plenty of alternatives out there that are plastic-free, including many reusable options that can save school girls and the government money whilst having a smaller impact on our planet.

She continued, “Most people don’t realise that every single day in the UK about 2.5 million tampons, 1.4 million pads and 700,000 pantyliners are flushed down the loo and that nearly all of these will contain plastic. The result is blockages in our sewers and used period products washing up on our riverbanks and beaches. I am hoping that Government will agree with us that this is a huge problem and set a real example by making sure all the period products they procure are truly plastic-free.”

Campaigns Coordinator at City to City, Jasmine Tribe added,

“In one move Government has the chance to empower young people, protect our oceans and tackle period poverty. People can save up to 94% over their menstruating lives by switching to reusable period products. I hope to see government rolling out a modern period education program alongside this great initiative as this is absolutely vital to get the most out of the scheme.”

For further information on City to Sea’s Plastic Free Period Campaign please visit https://www.citytosea.org.uk/plasticfreeperiods/

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