Pinkishe Foundation
31/10/2026
Questions about waste from sanitary pads come up often. Are pads made of plastic? How long do they last in a landfill? Why don't more women switch to cloth pads or menstrual cups? These are fair questions.
But baby diapers raise the same questions, and they are rarely asked. Pads and disposable diapers are made in a similar way: a soft top layer, an absorbent core, and a plastic layer at the back. Both are used once and thrown away. Both are sanitary waste. So if we care about waste, both deserve the same calm attention.
Most plastic-based pads and diapers do not break down quickly. When they are thrown in the open, they end up in drains, fields, rivers and landfills. When they are flushed, they block pipes and sewers. When they are burnt in the open, they give off harmful smoke.
Waste workers often sort what we throw away by hand. Wrapping used pads and diapers well, and keeping them apart from other waste, is a simple kindness to them.
There is an imbalance in how we talk about these two products. Women are often told to switch to reusable period products for the sake of the planet. Parents are rarely told the same about diapers.
That kindness to parents is fair. Disposable diapers save new parents a great deal of washing, and choosing them is a practical decision, not a careless one. The same understanding belongs to girls and women. Women should be free to choose the product that suits them, disposable or reusable, without being lectured.
This is not about blaming any product or any person. Pads and diapers both give comfort and dignity at different stages of life. The point is fairness: if we want less waste, we should look at all of it, and share the responsibility among makers, local bodies and families.
Schools, offices and public toilets can help by keeping a covered bin in every women's toilet and having it emptied every day.
For anyone who wants to make less waste, there are reusable choices:
Mixing is fine too. Some women use cloth at home and disposable pads while travelling. Some families use cloth diapers by day and a diaper at night. For more ideas, read how to have eco-friendly periods.
On 30 January 2026, in Dr Jaya Thakur v Government of India, the Supreme Court held that menstrual health is part of the right to life under Article 21. It gave directions for classes 6 to 12 on free products, vending machines, safe disposal, education, teacher training and annual inspection. In an order of 1 September 2026, the Court set the standard as compostable products meeting ISO 17088 read with IS 5405, and directed states towards reusable cups, period panties and reusable napkins.
For families, this means two things. If you buy disposable pads, look for a pack that says the product is compostable and meets ISO 17088 and IS 5405. And states are now expected to offer reusable choices to girls in classes 6 to 12. Even compostable pads need the right conditions to break down, so hand them over as sanitary waste as your local body asks.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Have a question about period products or safe disposal? Call our menstrual helpline on 85888 70999. It answers at any hour.
A simple printable sheet that marks your period days, your fertile window and your ovulation day. We will email it to you now.
We will send the tracker and a few gentle menstrual health emails from Khyati at Pinkishe. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Prefer to work out your dates now? Open the free ovulation calculatorBoth add a large amount of plastic-based waste. Rather than ranking them, it helps more to dispose of both safely and to offer reusable choices to those who want them.
No. Pads and diapers block pipes and sewers. Wrap them in paper and hand them over as sanitary waste.
They can be, if they meet ISO 17088 and IS 5405, the standard the Supreme Court set in September 2026. They still need the right conditions to break down, so dispose of them as your local body asks.
Yes. Cloth is safe when you rinse it in cold water, wash it with soap and dry it fully in sunlight. Store clean pads in a dry place.
No. Every girl and woman should be free to choose the product that suits her. Disposing of used pads safely is one of the most useful things anyone can do.
Used pads and baby diapers are both sanitary waste, and both deserve the same fair attention. Wrap them, keep them apart from wet and dry waste, and never flush or burn them. Reusable choices exist for anyone who wants them, and no one should be lectured for the product they choose.
Pinkishe Foundation is a specialist implementation organisation for menstrual health. We deliver, reliably, in schools and communities across India. Support our work with a donation.
₹1,100 gives one girl a year. Donations are eligible for deduction under Section 80G.
