Around 3.8 million UK women suffer from it - especially during pregnancy and after childbirth - but nobody’s talking about it. Yet if this culture of silence around stress incontinence is broken women can get help to prevent it and save money and waste by using washable protection.

Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) is breaking the taboo with No Laughing Matter, a briefing on stress incontinence and the environment, and a continence section on its website, www.wen.org.uk.
“Stress incontinence is frequently preventable, can be signficantly improved, can often be cured and can at least be managed without embarassment or loss of dignity,” says the briefing. Many women manage their symptoms on their own, spending nearly £24 million¹ in 2001 on disposable continence products and an unknown amount on disposable sanitary protection. Yet says the briefing: “Using washable pants and pads could save women money. But how many women know that there is an extensive range of reusable products, many similar to ordinary underwear and washed in the same way?”

For the amount you would spend on disposable pads in eight weeks, you could buy all the washable pads you need to last a year or more².

Nearly 17%³ of women over 18 suffer the condition when they laugh, cough, sneeze or over-exert themselves. And the booming market in disposable continence products adds to Britain’s waste mountain.

Throwaway products used for stress incontinence generally end up in household waste, and 90% of this ends up in landfill. Landfill space is running out and incineration has its own problems with associated toxins in air emissions and ash.

WEN’s stress incontinence protection briefing can be downloaded free or ordered for 50p a copy from WEN (No Laughing Matter), PO Box 30626, London E1 1TZ.

ENDS.

For media information contact Liz Sutton 020 7481 9004 email info@wen.org.uk

Notes to editors

Briefing: a pdf version is available on request or downloadable

Case studies are available on request.

Images available on request.

Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) is a registered charity that campaigns on issues which link women, health and the environment. Always inclined to break new ground, other recent briefings cover sanitary protection, cosmetics & toiletries, food transport and sustainable tourism in the UK.

WEN’s continence campaign is funded by the Real Nappy Association and Biffaward, a multi-million pound scheme set up by Biffa Waste Services.

Stress incontinence is involuntary leakage of urine caused by pressure on the bladder from coughing, sneezing, laughing, and exertion.

Waste: To meet EU requirements we need to significantly reduce the amount of biodegradable waste going to landfill. The EU Landfill directive requires the UK to reduce biodegradable waste by two-thirds over 25 years (1995-2020); with UK waste amounts still on the rise this is an uphill task.
Biodegradable waste sent to landfill creates methane gas which contributes to global warming.

The Continence Foundation runs a Helpline staffed by specialist nurses who can offer expert advice on all aspects of continence problems, and give callers the details of their nearest NHS Continence Advisory Service. Call the Helpline on 0845 345 0165 (9.30-1.00 Monday to Friday) or email
continence-help@dial.pipex.com Extensive information about continence problems is also available on the Foundation’s website: www.continence-foundation.org.uk

Refs:
1. Euromonitor Market Research GB, December 2002, Volume XLIII
2. www.wen.org.uk/continence/cost_comparison.htm. Costs as at May 2004.
Average price per disposable = 15.5p
x 3 per day = 46.5p
x 7 days = £3.25.5p
x 8 weeks = £26.04p

or x 6 per day = 93p
x 7 days = £6.51p
x 8 weeks = £52.08p

average price per washable pad = £2.45p
x 3 per day = £7.35p
cost of 9 pads, a 3-day supply, sufficient to last one year = £22.05p
or x 6 per day = £14.70p
cost of 18 pads, a 3 day supply for one year = £44.10p

3. The Continence Foundation