25
Jun
Toxic Chemicals Detected in Common Menstruation Products
(Beyond Pesticides, June 25, 2025) A United Kingdom (UK) study, published in May by the Women’s Environmental Network (Wen) and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK, is reporting levels of the herbicide glyphosate—a probable human carcinogen that is also linked to Parkinson’s disease—in tampons at concentrations 40 times higher than the legal drinking water limit. This finding highlights the serious public health threats that result from under-regulated period products, given that 1.8 billion people worldwide menstruate monthly, according to UNICEF. Â
The report raises fundamental concerns about the harm to women’s health associated with toxic chemical exposure. For tampon users, the vaginal route of exposure bypasses detoxification with a significantly higher absorption rate than skin. In addition, health concerns extend to ongoing chronic toxic chemical exposures to women worldwide working in cotton production and living in nearby communities.
Methodology
To investigate whether menstrual products contain harmful pesticide residues and whether current safety standards adequately control the risk of vaginal exposure, study researchers tested 15 boxes of tampons directly bought from UK supermarkets. These boxes were sent to an external laboratory for testing that looks for the presence of glyphosate and its breakdown product amionomethylphosphoric acid (AMPA) in the cotton material used to make tampons. AMPA can be more toxic than the parent compound, glyphosate.Â
Though the sample size of the study is small due to high testing costs, one sample reveals glyphosate detected at a concentration of 0.004 mg/kg, a number that is well above the UK/European Union (EU) drinking water limit of 0.0001 mg/kg. The testing also reveals AMPA residues in the same box, again confirming the presence of glyphosate contamination. Using methodology set forth by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), the researchers in the study calculated the total estimated amount of glyphosate the average tampon user would be exposed to daily. For an adult, the highest exposure estimate is 0.0000024 mg/kg/day, which falls below the ANSES guideline for unsafe pesticide exposure (0.1 mg/kg/day). The calculations, however, utilize oral reference doses, failing to account for the difference in absorption via the vulva compared to the mouth or skin. The study notes chemical absorption rates vaginally are 10 to 80 times higher than absorption rates via the skin, and likewise, exposure via the vaginal route is double that of the oral route.
These findings raise urgent concerns about the adequacy of existing safety thresholds, based on ingestion, especially when applied to products used vaginally. Without comprehensive regulation tailored to the use of menstrual products, millions of people may be unknowingly exposed to toxicants with a long-standing history of adverse effects to reproductive health.Â
Background
Period products are composed primarily of cotton, one of the most pesticide-intensive crops in the United States. Despite this, no regulations currently require companies to test or disclose the chemical contents of these products. Prior research has revealed that tampons and pads may contain phthalates, dioxins, environmental phenols, and volatile organic compounds—all associated with hormone disruption and diseases such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and certain cancers. Although not all fragrances in personal care products contain harmful products, the study indicates that many fragrances are linked to lasting adverse health effects and are not adequately tested or labeled. A study published in Frontiers in Reproductive Health finds that these risks are exacerbated for Black women and low-income individuals, who are more likely to use fragranced products, increasing cumulative exposure. The study attributes a possible explanation for these findings to racist societal stigma associated with Black and low-income women. The findings indicate how the negative reproductive health risks of pesticides are not just an environmental health issue, but a more complex problem requiring a nuanced understanding of social norms as well as other social determinants of health.
This problem does not only impact consumers. Many cotton farmers are women, especially in the Global South, and face daily exposure without access to personal protective equipment. Pesticides are often stored in homes and used without regulation, harming entire families. These exposures put female farmers at heightened risk of reproductive disorders, chronic illness, and even death. One solution to this problem is the transition to organic land management. As the study explains, case-study examples of women-led organic farming initiatives in Benin, Brazil, and India have shown how organic cotton production can provide a safer, more empowering path forward for female farmers without compromising on financial security.
How and Why do Pesticides Impact Women’s Health? Â
Women tend to be more vulnerable to chemical exposure due to biological reasons and social norms that increase their contact with different pesticides, which ultimately allows for greater chemical accumulation within the body. As mentioned earlier, vaginal tissue, in particular, is highly absorbent and allows chemicals like pesticides to enter directly into the bloodstream, bypassing liver detoxification. The liver is the body’s primary filtration system, and liver detoxification refers to the process where the liver breaks down harmful substances—like toxicants or chemicals—to be eliminated from the body. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in some period products have been linked to early puberty, endometriosis, PCOS, and hormone-related cancers. Yet, most toxicology research fails to consider these gendered and intersectional vulnerabilities, leaving critical gaps in safety assessments. Â
Call to ActionÂ
This study adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the need for stronger chemical safety standards. Period products must be regulated with residue limits tailored to vaginal exposure. The public should demand greater transparency from manufacturers, including full ingredient disclosure and independent testing. Supporting organic and additive-free menstrual products and advocating for legislative reforms—such as the proposed UK Menstrual Health, Dignity and Sustainability Act—are critical next steps. For those in the U.S., this underscores the urgent need to strengthen FDA oversight of menstrual products, which are currently classified as medical devices with limited transparency requirements. Advocating comprehensive federal standards can help close this regulatory gap and help prioritize women’s health worldwide.Â
For direct information on how you can take action against the adverse effects of pesticides on women’s health, see Beyond Pesticides’ International Women’s Day Action Agenda.Â
Additionally, for more information on why organic is the right choice for both consumers and the farmworkers who grow the crops used in period products, see the Beyond Pesticides webpage, Health Benefits of Organic Agriculture. Â
All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.  
Source:Â Pesticide Action Network UK, 2025. Pesticides in period products. Pesticide Action Network UK. Available at: https://www.pan-uk.org/period-products.
