India has introduced its first compostable sanitary pad meeting prescribed quality and compostability standards, marking a step towards addressing the twin challenges of menstrual hygiene and sanitary waste management.
Mini Ratna public sector undertaking HLL Lifecare Ltd, under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, last week launched 'Happy Days Earth', a compostable sanitary napkin designed to reduce the environmental footprint of menstrual hygiene products without compromising performance.
The launch comes against the backdrop of growing concern over menstrual waste and poor awareness about the usage of sanitary pads.
Conventional sanitary pads are largely made of polyethylene, polypropylene and super-absorbent polymers (SAP), materials that can persist in landfills for hundreds of years and contribute to plastic pollution and microplastic contamination.
Officials at HLL Lifecare said that independent testing found that Happy Days Earth achieved more than 91 per cent biodegradation within 156 days, meeting prescribed compostability standards.
Unlike conventional sanitary pads, it decomposes into water, carbon dioxide, biomass and organic matter without leaving behind plastic residue, they said.
The product uses a cellulose-based biodegradable absorbent core, plant-derived fibres, compostable leak-proof layers and eco-friendly packaging while eliminating super-absorbent polymers commonly used in conventional pads.
Mrinalini Rao, Head of Doha Systems Pvt. Ltd., which manufactures sanitary napkin vending machines and high-temperature incinerators, said the sector requires a two-pronged approach. "Menstrual hygiene is not merely about providing sanitary pads; it is equally important to educate women and girls on their proper use and ensure their safe disposal," she said.
Increasing use of disposable sanitary products has created fresh waste management challenges, particularly in schools, public institutions and rural areas where disposal facilities remain inadequate, she added.
Their company has been installing sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators designed in accordance with the government's Menstrual Health Management Policy, 2023, enabling hygienic disposal of used sanitary products, Dinesh Singh, senior manager at the Doha System, added.
Although menstrual hygiene has improved considerably over the past decade, significant gaps remain. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the use of hygienic menstrual protection methods among women aged 15-24 has risen substantially. Yet affordability, inadequate sanitation infrastructure and persistent social stigma continue to restrict access for millions of women, especially in rural India.
Dr. Neerja Bhatla, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS, New Delhi, said, “Menstruation is a normal biological process, and menstrual health should be treated as an integral part of reproductive health rather than a social taboo.” She has been advocating comprehensive menstrual education beginning before puberty.
The Supreme Court, too, earlier this year recognised menstrual health as an integral component of the right to health and directed the Union and State governments to ensure free sanitary pads for girl students, preferably through vending machines installed within school toilets.
Public health experts point out that many adolescent girls continue to miss school during menstruation because of inadequate toilets, lack of privacy and the absence of safe disposal facilities.
In several low-income communities, women still rely on cloth and other unhygienic materials because commercial sanitary products remain beyond their financial reach, as per various surveys.
Industry representatives say improving menstrual hygiene also requires making sanitary products readily available in public spaces.
"Our survey shows that women increasingly consider access to sanitary pads a matter of dignity and equal participation in public life. Whether in schools, colleges, railway stations or airports, access to sanitary products allows women to manage unexpected situations with confidence," said Chirag Pan, Chief Executive Officer of PAN Healthcare.
A recent nationwide survey conducted by PAN Healthcare has found overwhelming support for providing sanitary pads in public washrooms. More than nine out of ten respondents felt that sanitary pads should be treated as an essential washroom facility, alongside handwashing amenities. Most respondents also favoured making their availability mandatory through policy measures, as per the survey.
The survey also underscored continuing gaps in menstrual awareness, with more than one-third of respondents reporting that they had little or no knowledge about menstruation before experiencing their first period, highlighting the need for comprehensive menstrual education in schools.
M. Emayavarman of Mindmap Enterprises, which has been doing its bit to plug the gap in this direction by conducting menstrual hygiene awareness programmes in schools, colleges, industries and communities under its 'Her Health Hygiene' initiative, said there is a need to improve awareness and break social taboos surrounding menstruation.
With India generating billions of used sanitary pads each year, the experts summed up by saying that sustainable menstrual products must be complemented by improved waste segregation, environmentally sound disposal mechanisms and continued efforts to ensure universal access to safe menstrual hygiene. “Only a combination of public health interventions and environmentally responsible innovations,” they added, can address the challenges of menstrual health and sanitary pads waste menace.
