6.25 Years

6.25 years — that’s the cumulative amount of time the average woman spends on her period in her lifetime. If a woman uses tampons or pads, she may be exposed to toxic chemicals like dioxins, furans and pesticide residues (linked to cancer, reproductive harm and hormone disruption) during 450 periods, over more than 2200 days, for more than 6 years of her life, through some of the most sensitive and absorptive skin on her body.

Do you find this alarming? So do we! That’s why we’re working to eliminate toxics from the feminine care market through our Detox the Box campaign. And because of advocates like you raising their voices, corporations are responding. Procter & Gamble and Kimberly Clark are starting to disclose the ingredients in their tampons and pads. But we have a long way to go — we won’t rest until tampons and pads are free of harmful chemicals, and manufacturers adopt chemical screening processes to keep us safe.

We need your help. Today is Menstrual Hygiene Day, and we hope you’ll make a gift to Women’s Voices for the Earth in honor of your period (or the period of someone you love). In fact, make it monthly — like a menstrual cycle. Sign up for a recurring gift today, and each month, you’ll be reminded that you are using your period to fight for safe feminine care for all. You’ll also receive a #detoxthebox sticker and a helpful wallet card.