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The founders of a project to educate local youngsters about sustainable period products has described the addition of greener items to the Government's public toilets scheme as a "great step forward" – but said that they remain "very keen" to see fully sustainable options made available.
The Jersey Sustainable Period Products Project team explained that whilst single-use organic items "have a more gentle impact on the planet", it is important to "reuse rather than consume single use items to make the greatest difference".
They are therefore calling for reusable products – such as reusable pads, menstrual cups and period pants – to be included in the Government's free period product scheme, "allowing those who want to to lighten their impact on our planet".
When the Government's free period product scheme was introduced last year, the Social Security Minister admitted that single-use tampons and sanitary towels were selected for the free period products scheme as they were the most “economically advantageous” option compared to sustainable alternatives.
Pictured: According to MoonCup, it is estimated that one disposable pad will take around 500 years to decompose.
Louise Carson, one of the founders of the project, said that she had been working with the team at Social Security to "help them to engage with more truly sustainable options available on the market".
She explained that the survey results "were clear that more sustainable products are required and this was a clear demand within the younger demographic who menstruate", adding that it would be "such a shame" if those in period poverty struggled to access these options "because of their greater outlay in cost, despite their cheaper overall costs".
The Jersey Sustainable Period Products Project also revealed that they have recently carried out free cost analysis the for Government comparing single-use and reusable products "in the hopes of encouraging this step [towards reusable options]".
"The cost analysis alone shows some mainstream disposables have doubled in cost since 2020 whilst reusables have greatly reduced in cost by comparison," explained Louise, adding that "it would, in my opinion, be a great way to stretch our tax pounds".
Pictured: The Jersey Sustainable Period Products Project said they would like to see a "really sustainable option" – such as reusable pads, menstrual cups and period pants – offered as part of the Government scheme.
Whilst waiting for the Government to take this step, the Jersey Sustainable Period Products Project said that they will "continue to introduce and educate the public on truly sustainable period products" with their in-school program to give every Year 6 student capable of menstruating a reusable pad.
"We desperately hope the Government finds it possible to enhance or replace our efforts with the provision of reusable options to everyone in need as soon as possible," they added.
The free period-product scheme has also come under fire on social media recently as islanders post photographs of empty boxes in locations where the products should be.
Posting a picture of an empty dispenser on Twitter, charity worker Emily Smith said: "If @GovJersey [the Government of Jersey] are going to commit to providing free period products then there needs to be some."
Snow Hill carpark this morning - no free period products. If @GovJersey are going to commit to providing free period products then there needs to be some. Also, this is far from a vending machine, as was proposed. I'm not giving up on this fight. pic.twitter.com/w0VxmY2AUo
— Emily Jayne Smith (@EmzJ_Smith) September 18, 2023
She also criticised the way the products were stored, suggesting that a vending machine "would be way more hygienic and dignified" than the current set-up of a "box of either none or half-opened packets".
In another photo, period products are stored in a box on the floor of the public toilet at Les Quennevais Sports Centre.
Pictured: The free period products at Les Quennevais Sports Centre are stored in a plastic box on the floor of the public toilet.
Some replies suggested that the low stock may be due to people taking more products than they need. However, whilst announcing the expansion of the scheme earlier this week, Social Security Minister Elaine Millar reiterated the fact that "the products are free for all islanders and people can take whatever they need".
Emily said: "As a woman who works for a charity, and just left another charity, supporting vulnerable people I don’t think what the Government has done is good enough."
Hi Emily, all the public toilet locations are being checked and stocked twice daily.
— Government of Jersey (@GovJersey) September 18, 2023
The Government replied to her tweet stating that "all the public toilet locations are being checked and stocked twice daily".
Customer and Local Services confirmed that "these checks are carried out by the same contractors that look after the cleaning requirements of the toilets, at no additional cost".
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