Inappropriate flushing of menstrual sanitary products

This study explored the disposal strategies of menstrual sanitary products through in-depth semi-structured interviews with women aged 18-30 years. There have been many educational campaigns to improve solid waste disposal, but inappropriate disposal and blockages are still a major problem for the water industry. While quantitative studies exploring self-reporting of flushing norms have been conducted, there is evidence to suggest that these results may not take into account the complex set of socio-cultural factors associated with menstrual product disposal. Bridging this gap, the interviews undertaken in this work revealed that although all participants had a desire to dispose responsibly, their ability to utilise solid waste streams or to minimise waste by using reusable products was not always possible because they felt, to some degree, restricted by the wider societal requirements for discretion and the design, accessibility and availability of bins and bathroom facilities. Based on these findings, industry recommendations are suggested.