To put it into numbers, we’re talking roughly 12 BILLION sanitary pads filled with plastics, synthetic super absorbent polymers and artificial fragrances being disposed of every year in India alone. Most of these pads end up in landfills, remaining unchanged for around 600-800 years after disposal.

Similarly, burning has, arguably, a worse effect as incinerating these pads release toxic fumes into the atmosphere - these pollute not just the air, but also the soil and water bodies, thus adversely affecting the food chain.

Flushing isn’t any better. Disposing of menstrual waste in the sewage system can lead to the clogging of toilets, latrines, septic tanks or sewer systems. It is estimated that menstrual waste causes 6.3% of sewage-related debris along rivers and shorelines.