By Marie Morice, Feminist Toxic Free Futures Policy Campaigner at Wen
Earlier this month, around World Health Day, I attended a timely discussion in Brussels hosted by Règles Élémentaire, marking the launch of their new report, “Better Regulating Menstrual Products: Why Does It Matter?”,. It brought together policymakers, researchers and civil society to focus on something that is surprisingly rarely addressed in public conversation: what menstrual products contain and what that means for our health.
This is a conversation that feels increasingly urgent. It is also one we are continuing at Wen through our upcoming webinar, The urgent need to regulate menstrual products on 28 April at 1pm.
Why this matters
This is about more than product safety alone. It is about access to clear information, the ability to make informed choices, and the right to products that are safe for both our health and the environment.
Menstrual health sits at the intersection of public health, human rights and environmental justice. Yet it has historically been under researched and under regulated. That gap continues to shape how menstrual products are understood, tested and governed today.
At Wen, we are working to bring greater attention to these issues, particularly where environmental exposures intersect with women’s health.
Our recent report, Blood, Sweat and Pesticides, developed with Pesticide Action Network UK, found traces of glyphosate in tampons sold on UK high streets, in some cases at levels higher than those permitted in drinking water.
Menstrual products are not only used externally. They are also used internally, or in close contact with sensitive areas of the body. This means that any chemicals present may be absorbed differently, and potentially more directly, than through other everyday exposures.
It is also the frequency and duration of use that matters. These are products used regularly, over many years. Understanding cumulative exposure is therefore essential.
At the same time, awareness is growing. Most people want to know what their period products contain, yet current regulation does not guarantee that transparency. The existing one size fits all approach is no longer sufficient for products used in this way.
What we are learning about menstrual products
The Brussels event marked the launch of a new report, Better Regulating Menstrual Products: Why Does It Matter?, drawing on over two decades of scientific research. The picture that emerges is concerning.
Across more than 20 years of independent testing, a range of hazardous substances have been identified in tampons, pads, period pants and cups. These include heavy metals, PFAS, pesticide residues, phthalates and dioxins. A 2024 study found measurable concentrations of all 16 metal(loid)s tested, including lead, arsenic and cadmium, across 30 tampon brands.
At the same time, these products are used by over 112 million people in Europe, often over many years, and in close contact with some of the most absorbent areas of the body.
A gap in regulation that cannot be ignored
Despite this, menstrual products in the UK and EU are still largely regulated under general product safety frameworks, the same broad rules that apply to everyday consumer goods like laundry baskets or coat hangers.
There is no consistent requirement for full ingredient disclosure, no specific safety standard tailored to these products, and no agreed framework for assessing long term exposure.
As one manufacturer interviewed in the Règles Élémentaires report put it, “Nobody tells me how to think about what is safe in my product.”
This reflects a wider issue. Menstrual health has historically been under researched and under regulated, and that gap continues to shape how these products are governed today.
Continuing the conversation
This is why we are continuing this conversation in partnership with Women Engage for a Common Future, WECF International, through our upcoming webinar.
The urgent need to regulate menstrual products – 28 April 2026, 1:00 PM London Book your free place
Dr Kathrin Schilling from Columbia University will share emerging research on chemicals in menstrual products and their interaction with the body. Tripti Arora from ToxicsLink and IPEN will offer insights into safer alternatives and practical approaches to reducing exposure. We will also connect these findings to wider gender health and data gaps that continue to shape how menstrual health is understood and regulated.
Marie Morice, Feminist Toxic Free Futures Policy Campaigner
Marie has over 25 years’ experience leading climate, sustainability, and gender equity initiatives at organisations including the UN and WWF. She is also a clinical sexologist, working at the intersection of women’s health, environmental justice, and SRHR. At Wen, Marie drives policy and campaign work on toxic chemicals, with a focus on protecting women’s health and advancing feminist approaches to environmental policy.
