What Happened
- Research, including a landmark 2024 UC Berkeley and Columbia University study — the first to systematically measure 16 metals in 30 tampon brands — found detectable levels of lead, arsenic, and cadmium in every product tested, with concentrations varying significantly across brands and manufacturing origins.
- Earlier investigations found PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, "forever chemicals") in 48% of sanitary pads and panty liners tested, 22% of tampons, and 65% of period underwear.
- In India, the Toxics Link NGO documented the presence of phthalates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in both organic and inorganic sanitary products sold domestically.
- Heavy metals such as lead and arsenic are known to damage the cardiovascular, nervous, and endocrine systems; increase dementia and cancer risk; and harm fetal development.
- The vaginal mucosa (inner lining) has higher permeability than normal skin, raising concerns that chemical absorption from menstrual products may be more significant than exposure through skin contact elsewhere.
- Regulatory frameworks in India — BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act — do not currently require manufacturers to test menstrual products for heavy metals or PFAS before market entry.
- The FDA in the United States launched a formal tampon safety investigation in 2024 following the UC Berkeley study; California and New York (December 2025) have enacted laws restricting PFAS in menstrual products.
Static Topic Bridges
Chemical Hazards in Menstrual Products: What is Found and Why It Matters
Menstrual products can contain chemicals at multiple stages: from raw material sourcing (cotton grown with pesticides), manufacturing processes (bleaching with chlorine compounds generates dioxins), finishing treatments (fragrances, preservatives), and packaging materials. The health relevance depends on whether chemicals can transfer from product to tissue at sufficient concentrations to cause harm.
- Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury): enter products through contaminated raw cotton or manufacturing processes. No safe level of lead or arsenic exposure has been established for humans (WHO).
- PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): used in waterproofing layers and wrappers; linked to endocrine disruption, multiple cancers, high blood pressure, and developmental problems in children. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade and bioaccumulate in body tissue.
- Phthalates: used as plasticisers in packaging and certain product components; linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, and genital malformations in newborns.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): can be released from fragrance compounds and manufacturing residues; linked to asthma, neurological damage, and some cancers.
- Dioxins: generated when chlorine-bleached cotton is used; classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under the Stockholm Convention; known carcinogens at sufficient doses.
Connection to this news: The combination of intimate anatomical contact, high mucosal permeability, and long-term cumulative exposure (a person using menstrual products for 35–40 years, for 5–7 days per month) means even low concentrations of toxic chemicals could represent significant lifetime exposure — making this a high-priority emerging health concern.
India's Regulatory Framework for Menstrual Products: Gaps and Jurisdictional Confusion
In India, menstrual products occupy an ambiguous regulatory space. Sanitary napkins are classified under the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 (notified under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940) as Class A medical devices — the lowest risk category requiring self-certification rather than independent testing. This classification was upgraded from an unregulated consumer product, but the oversight remains minimal.
- Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) IS:5405 specifies basic physical tests for sanitary napkins (absorbency, texture, surface properties) but does NOT include testing for heavy metals, PFAS, dioxins, or phthalates.
- Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (via Medical Devices Rules, 2017): Class A devices (which include sanitary napkins) require only self-certification by the manufacturer — no pre-market safety testing mandate for chemical contaminants.
- CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) is the regulatory body under MoHFW; it has not yet issued specific guidelines on chemical safety in menstrual products.
- There is no equivalent of the US FDA's Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) specifically tailored for menstrual products' chemical safety in India.
- The Toxics Link report (an Indian NGO) identified phthalates and VOCs in Indian-market products, but without regulatory mandates, manufacturers are not required to test or disclose findings.
Connection to this news: India's 355 million menstruating individuals represent one of the world's largest user populations for menstrual hygiene products. The absence of mandatory chemical safety testing means Indian consumers bear the health risk without the information or legal protection to make informed choices.
Menstrual Health as a Public Health and Gender Equity Issue
Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) has transitioned from a taboo subject to a recognised public health priority, reflected in its inclusion in Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and in India's Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), which provides subsidised sanitary napkins at Rs 1 per pad through Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
- India's sanitary napkin market: estimated at Rs 6,000–8,000 crore and growing at 10–12% annually, driven by rural adoption under government schemes.
- Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) under National Health Mission: provides subsidised sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in rural areas (Kishori Shakti Yojana).
- GST on sanitary napkins was reduced to 0% (from 12%) in July 2018 following widespread advocacy campaigns, acknowledging menstrual hygiene as a necessity.
- The shift from cloth to sanitary products — driven by PMBJP and MHM awareness campaigns — increases the importance of product safety since disposable products remain in intimate contact longer than reusable cloth.
- Period poverty (inability to afford menstrual products) affects millions; any policy response must balance chemical safety standards with cost implications that could reduce accessibility.
Connection to this news: Government schemes that actively push wider adoption of disposable menstrual products create a public health obligation to ensure those products are safe. The current situation — where the government promotes use without mandating chemical safety testing — represents a significant policy inconsistency that requires urgent resolution through updated BIS and CDSCO standards.
Stockholm Convention and India's Obligations on Persistent Organic Pollutants
India ratified the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in 2006, committing to eliminate or restrict the production and use of defined POPs including dioxins, furans, and related compounds. Dioxins produced during chlorine bleaching of cotton are classified as POPs and are among the most toxic known environmental contaminants.
- Stockholm Convention (2001, in force 2004): covers 3 classes — intentional POPs (pesticides), unintentional POPs (dioxins/furans), and stockpiles.
- India as a party: required to develop a National Implementation Plan (NIP) for eliminating/minimising POP releases.
- The India-specific concern: cotton bleaching in textile manufacturing, including that used for sanitary product production, is a source of dioxin emissions and residues.
- Ozone-friendly alternatives (hydrogen peroxide bleaching) are available and increasingly used by ethical manufacturers but not mandated in India.
- PFAS were added to the Stockholm Convention Annexes progressively (PFOS in 2009, PFOA in 2019, PFHxS and related in 2022); India is bound by these obligations.
Connection to this news: India's Stockholm Convention obligations provide an existing legal architecture through which regulatory authorities could mandate the elimination of dioxin-producing processes and PFAS from menstrual product manufacturing — without requiring new legislation, merely enforcement of existing international treaty commitments.
Key Facts & Data
- UC Berkeley/Columbia University tampon study (2024): 16 metals measured in 30 brands; lead, arsenic, cadmium found in every product
- PFAS prevalence: 48% of sanitary pads/panty liners, 22% of tampons, 65% of period underwear (2022 investigation)
- Toxics Link (India): found phthalates and VOCs in Indian-market organic and inorganic sanitary products
- BIS IS:5405: specifies physical tests only — no heavy metal or PFAS testing required
- Sanitary napkins classification under Medical Devices Rules, 2017: Class A (self-certification, no pre-market chemical safety testing)
- GST on sanitary napkins: 0% (reduced from 12% in July 2018)
- India ratified Stockholm Convention on POPs: 2006
- PFOS added to Stockholm Convention: 2009; PFOA: 2019
- Jan Aushadhi sanitary napkins: Rs 1 per pad under PMBJP
- India's sanitary napkin market: Rs 6,000–8,000 crore, growing ~10–12% annually
- Menstruating persons in India: approximately 355 million
- California: banned PFAS from menstrual products; New York: December 2025 (multiple toxic chemicals banned)
- FDA: launched formal tampon safety investigation in 2024