Straight Talk
March 13, 2008
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printIn Vancouver landfills, cats and babies beat pads and tampons
In today’s Pads to Save or Trash Africa, the Straight
reported on a local plan (www.goods4girls.org) to help African girls manage
their menstruation without depending on donated disposables. Here in Vancouver, most women
still use disposables, which show up in the region’s landfills and liquid-waste
facilities.
According to GVRD’s 2004 solid waste composition study, pads and tampons are the smallest offenders of all the household hygiene products that end up in Greater Vancouver’s landfills. At 8.04 kilograms per person per year, diapers made the biggest mess. Then, animal litter, at 3.3 kilograms per person, and finally, pads and tampons, and other materials, at 2.14 kilos per person per year.
However, this study does not include what goes into the toilet and/or sewers. Working on this project also wins the award for worst job ever in Vancouver.
According to GVRD’s 2004 solid waste composition study, pads and tampons are the smallest offenders of all the household hygiene products that end up in Greater Vancouver’s landfills. At 8.04 kilograms per person per year, diapers made the biggest mess. Then, animal litter, at 3.3 kilograms per person, and finally, pads and tampons, and other materials, at 2.14 kilos per person per year.
However, this study does not include what goes into the toilet and/or sewers. Working on this project also wins the award for worst job ever in Vancouver.
