At Manchester Community Central, we’ve been working on a dedicated project focused on menstrual health for the past 2 years, specifically around menstrual health support in the workplace, through a voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) lens. As part of this ongoing work, we conducted a community research survey to better understand the knowledge, experiences, and opinions of women and people who menstruate, particularly around the safety and regulation of menstrual products.
Rationale and Scope of Research on Toxicity of Period Products:
Before creating the survey, we compiled research from over 20 peer-reviewed studies which revealed that menstrual products, used by an estimated 300 million people daily and totalling more than 11,000 products per person over a lifetime, have been found to contain a range of potentially harmful chemicals, including pesticides, dioxins, phthalates, and endocrine-disrupting compounds. Given that vaginal tissue absorbs chemicals at up to twice the rate of oral absorption, bypassing the liver's detoxification system entirely, cumulative exposure over decades represents a significant and under-studied public health concern.
Despite growing parliamentary pressure and a recently launched UK consultation with the Department of Business and Trade (June 2026), public awareness of these findings remains largely unknown. This survey therefore seeks to understand current levels of awareness, concern, and appetite for regulatory change among the public, in order to ensure that lived experience and consumer priorities are represented in the ongoing policy conversation.
To read the full report of the findings, please click the link below.