Sustainable and Innovative Menstrual Health Materials: A Study on Biodegradable Sanitary Pads Made of Sugarcane Waste

ABSTRACT Menstruation is a natural physiological process that females begin to experience from the onset of puberty, signifying their reproductive potential. Menstrual health and hygiene are crucial subject that addresses the availability of menstrual products and knowledge about the issue among females. The paper titled “Sustainable and Innovative Menstrual Health Materials: A Study on Biodegradable Sanitary Pads Made of Sugarcane Waste” presents a novel approach to addressing environmental and health concerns associated with conventional menstrual products. The use of sanitary pads is inescapable; nonetheless, the use of chemicals and materials such as perforated plastic sheets, artificial perfumes, synthetic fibers, polyethylene, and silicon‐coated paper makes the widely used sanitary pads a significant health and environmental hazard. They also include various chemicals used to improve presentation and acceptability to consumers. Sustainable and biodegradable sanitary pads have been developed to address this concern. However, several biodegradable sanitary pads also contain materials that require a certain amount of plastic, are not suitable for mass production, and/or are uncomfortable to use. This study, aligned with the theme “Sustainable Material for Environment,” on study a patented innovative, low‐cost, and sustainable solution to the concern of menstrual health and hygiene. The researchers delve into the creation of a biodegradable sanitary pad using various combinations of ingredients, including bagasse pulp (a by‐product of the sugarcane industry), fuller's earth, psyllium husk, tragacanth gum, turmeric, and many more. Educating consumers about this innovative material and advertising about the same becomes imperative for creating a pathway towards ViksitBharat2047.