On Menstruating @ the Gathering

One of the many questions that come in regards to gathering, is how to I handling menstruating at the gathering.

The question really becomes what products do I use to capture my menstrual flow that does is easy to manage.

The first key is that there is no trash service at the gathering. If you bring something to the gathering, then you are responsible to take it home with you.  That means planning ahead is key. Many sanitary napkins are made with petroleum based plastic products and therefore are not biodegradable.  Non-biodegradable items need to be hauled out of the gathering.

And who wants petroleum products on one of the most sensitive areas of their body?  Not me!

To learn more about how to select products that are biodegradable, click here.  Make sure not to buy tampons with plastic applicators. Cardboard is OK.

If you purchase plant-only based biodegradable sanitary napkins, panty liners, and tampons, you can put them in the shitter where they will decompose over the next year or two.

Not to push any particular product, but if you are unfamiliar with organic cotton tampons, this link has a number of recommendations.

BUT

If you bring products to the gathering that are not made from 100% plant based sources according to the label, then those tampons and sanitary pads need to go to the landfill. What you can do is bag up your waste and transport it with you when you leave. Once you are at least 100 miles from the gathering, put it in an appropriate trash receptacle.

Other Solutions

Many women like reusable cloth pads that can be washed out and reused. One of the kid camps will usually have a diaper wash space that is perfect for washing out the reusable cloth pads.

Another great and washable option is the menstrual cup. which is a feminine hygiene product that is inserted into the vagina during menstruation. Its purpose is to prevent menstrual fluid (blood from uterine lining) from leaking onto clothes. Menstrual cups are usually made of flexible medical grade silicone and shaped like a bell with a stem.

Finally, some women like the sea sponge, which can be reused for months on end and then can be placed in a shitter or other non-food composting system.


The key is either bring biodegradable disposable items or reusable items and leave the petroleum based products at home.

Menstruation & Bears

The National Park Service has this recommendation"Place all used tampons, pads, and towelettes in double zip-loc baggies and store them unavailable to bears, just as you would store food. This means hung at least 10 feet above the ground and 4 feet from the tree trunk." 

However, they also point out that there is NO GOOD EVIDENCE that bears are attracted my menstruating women.  I put my used items in a trash bag that I hung from a tree by my tent along with my other trash trash like soft plastics.

If you are camped in a highly populated area of the gathering, I doubt you will have any bear issues. However, if you are the person who hikes 1-2 miles out from where most gatherers are, then observing bear precautions is important.