Will organic tampons flush down the toilet?

Nope. You should never flush any period products down the toilet. Sadly, 30% of people still do which causes sewer blockages and lots of sanitary waste that ends up in the sea. For every 100 metres of beach cleaned in Europe, 6 pieces are found.

Are tampons biodegradable?

Traditional tampons are made up of a combination of cotton, rayon and around 6% plastic so they won't fully biodegrade for hundreds of years. However, 100% cotton tampons like those in this list are fully biodegradable and take only 1-5 months to fully break down.

Can organic tampons cause TSS?

TSS, while rare can happen using any type of tampons, pads and cups, and only half of TSS infections are related to periods. To further reduce your risk always use the lowest absorbency tampon during the different stages of your cycle. Thoroughly clean or boil menstrual cups between uses (helps to maybe have 2 cups in rotation), and never wear menstrual products for longer than the specified maximum time. It also helps to break up your tampon or cup use with pads (or for less waste try reusable pads or period pants).

Are organic tampons safe?

Yes, in short, but there is no evidence to suggest that organic tampons are safer for you than regular ones. The amount of potential toxins, like dioxin and glyphosate found in regular tampons are too low to be considered harmful, however, organic tampons use the TCF method which avoids these byproducts completely. The good news is organic tampons don't use fragrances or synthetic materials which can cause irritation for sensitive vaginas and vulvas.

How much are tampons in the UK?

Taking a well-known brand, Tampax, their Pearl Compak Regular Tampons with Applicator, you can get a box of 36 at Boots £5.75 making them 16p each. Compare this to our most budget-friendly on the list which is 13p per tampon, it actually pays to go for the sustainable option.

Best Plastic Free & Organic Tampons

Our mission at Zero Wasted is to help you make more informed decisions when trying to buy more consciously - we do all the research so you don't have to. We sometimes use affiliate links on our site. We only recommend products we love, that we think you will too.

Cassy Amelia • March 17, 2023

The average woman uses 12,000 tampons in her lifetime and 1.3 billion plastic tampon applicators go to landfill after just one use every year in the UK.

Currently 90% of period products are single-use, made with non-sustainable fibres such as viscose, rayon and have plastic packaging and applicators. Our guide looks at the best plastic free and 100% organic cotton tampons you can buy in the UK for a more sustainable period. Here's what we're looking for:

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton uses zero pesticides, 71% less water, 62% less energy and produces 46% less CO2e than traditional cotton and takes around 6 months to biodegrade in a compost pile.

TCF FREE TAMPONS

Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) is a method of purifying the cotton using hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine which creates toxic chemicals and byproducts like dioxin. We also want zero perfumes or dyes.

PLASTIC FREE TAMPONS

Traditional tampons contain an average of 6% plastic with single-use plastic wrappers and applicators which can take around 500 years to break down into microplastics.

Will organic tampons flush down the toilet?

Nope. You should never flush any period products down the toilet. Sadly, 30% of people still do which causes sewer blockages and lots of sanitary waste that ends up in the sea. For every 100 metres of beach cleaned in Europe, 6 pieces are found.
Are tampons biodegradable?

Traditional tampons are made up of a combination of cotton, rayon and around 6% plastic so they won't fully biodegrade for hundreds of years. However, 100% cotton tampons like those in this list are fully biodegradable and take only 1-5 months to fully break down.
Can organic tampons cause TSS?

TSS, while rare can happen using any type of tampons, pads and cups, and only half of TSS infections are related to periods. To further reduce your risk always use the lowest absorbency tampon during the different stages of your cycle. Thoroughly clean or boil menstrual cups between uses (helps to maybe have 2 cups in rotation), and never wear menstrual products for longer than the specified maximum time. It also helps to break up your tampon or cup use with pads (or for less waste try reusable pads or period pants).
Are organic tampons safe?

Yes, in short, but there is no evidence to suggest that organic tampons are safer for you than regular ones. The amount of potential toxins, like dioxin and glyphosate found in regular tampons are too low to be considered harmful, however, organic tampons use the TCF method which avoids these byproducts completely. The good news is organic tampons don't use fragrances or synthetic materials which can cause irritation for sensitive vaginas and vulvas.
How much are tampons in the UK?

Taking a well-known brand, Tampax, their Pearl Compak Regular Tampons with Applicator, you can get a box of 36 at Boots £5.75 making them 16p each. Compare this to our most budget-friendly on the list which is 13p per tampon, it actually pays to go for the sustainable option.

TAMPONS 101

Bin it, don't flush it.

Images credits: Pexels and @ella_daish on Twitter

3 Benefits of Switching to Organic Tampons

1. Reduce waste

They return to nature without causing chemical or plastic pollution. Because organic tampons are made from 100% cotton they can be home composted and they can break down in under a year vs. traditional tampons and plastic applicators that can remain in landfill for hundreds of years.

2. Protect the environment

GOTS certified farms don't use herbicides or pesticides, meaning our farms and farmers stay healthy and they don't reach into our waterways. Soil life is well-protected and organic farming methods lock CO2 into the soil instead of the atmosphere. Organic cotton farming works with nature, not against it.

3. Less irritation

A combination of chlorine bleached rayon and cotton make up your typical tampons and can also include plastic, fragrances and artificial absorbent fibres which rapidly absorb menstrual blood but at the same time can dry out the protective mucous lining of the vagina. Going 100% organic cotton means it's less likely to cause irritation to your most sensitive skin.