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New York, 9:09 AM
Tue Dec 1
67 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #pollution more →

    Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores

    Baby On Board
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治 MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    You know, it never once even occurred to me to flush the applicator. It just never even crossed my mind at any point in my life ever. My mind is a little bit blown with the revelation that people do this.
     Reply
    MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治 was starred MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治 was unstarred
    Image of Hana Maru Hana Maru
    06/27/09

    @MeganGlass 就是一个古代的三明治: From the time I got my first period, I was warned by my mom against flushing them because it would clog the toilet. I've had a few friends since who actually did clog their toilets this way, so I don't think I'll be trying it yet.
     Reply
    Hana Maru was starred Hana Maru was unstarred
    Image of TildeMarks TildeMarks
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    My dad worked in water treatment, and 'plastic parts' were the bane of his existence. If he ever found me using any plastic applicators, I perish the thought.
     Reply
    TildeMarks was starred TildeMarks was unstarred
    Image of Maulleigh Maulleigh
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    I wrap the applicator in a little toilet paper (so the next person doesn't have to look at it!) and put it in the trash! Yay me!
     Reply
    Maulleigh was starred Maulleigh was unstarred
    Image of Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni!
    06/27/09

    @Maulleigh: Um, the tampon itself is still a plumbing/environmental hazard.

    Pfft.
     Reply
    Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was starred Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was unstarred
    Image of RisaPlata RisaPlata
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    This isn't exactly new. When I was a kid, my parents would take us to Cape Cod for a week every summer and we always played with the little plastic tubes on the beach. I was much much older before my parents told me what those were and I was like, "why did you let us play with them?" And they figured at that point the ocean had washed them off enough that they were as sanitary as anything else on the beach, plus they really didn't want to have to explain tampon applicators to their small children. Or their medium-sized children. I can accept that.
     Reply
    RisaPlata was starred RisaPlata was unstarred
    Image of Diziet_Sma Diziet_Sma
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    OK, I never flush my tampons or applicators - but what annoys me about these kind of reports is that people get all up-in-arms about these things showing up in the sea and don't seem to care what it implies - that loads of excrement is also being flushed into the oceans.


    What, so they don't care about the fact that they're, literally, swimming in shit, but a few applicators are really offensive?

     Reply
    Diziet_Sma was starred Diziet_Sma was unstarred
    Image of shorty63136 shorty63136
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    Are the tampons themselves biodegradable? Do they break down in the sewage and just go away? I imagine the string might not but what about the rest?
     Reply
    shorty63136 was starred shorty63136 was unstarred
    Image of Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni!
    06/27/09

    @shorty63136: They're not supposed to go in the toilet. They fuck up the plumbing.
     Reply
    Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was starred Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/27/09

    @shorty63136: They're made out of rayon and cotton, usually, so yes, they will biodegrade. Eventually.
     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    I grew up in a rural area that didn't have a sewage system. Our septic tank is sketchy at times. Our toilets would clog at random intervals, resulting in a lot of freaking out and swearing on my parents' part.


    When yours truly reached the age of menarche, both my parents decided that the random septic tank problems had to be my fault--I must be flushing tampons. (Never mind that we'd been having problems for six years prior.) Oh, the lectures I got. Oh, the tearful insistence that no, I wasn't flushing anything menstruation-related!


    I haven't lived at my parents' house for 14 years now. The septic system finally completely died three years ago. I still reflexively freak out whenever I hear anyone talking about flushing either tampons or applicators.

     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of The Nose The Nose
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    Someone call the people who turn corn starch into those plastic cups that biodegrade in ~50 days. I believe I've found a new way to utilize their corn starch.


    Introducing Tampax Maize

    - Plastic applicator for smooth insertion!

    - Flushable for those with olfactory sensitivities!

    - Made from renewable materials! Compostable! Recyclable! Eco-conscious! Green!

     Reply
    The Nose was starred The Nose was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/27/09

    @The Nose: I can see the tasteful pale yellow packages with light green cornstalk designs already!
     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of Hana Maru Hana Maru
    06/27/09

    @The Nose: That's a really good idea.
     Reply
    Hana Maru was starred Hana Maru was unstarred
    Image of hippichx sez PEACE PLEASE hippichx sez PEACE PLEASE
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    doesn't it always say on the box that you shouldn't flush it? i mean, the tampon goes in the toilet, but i always wrap the applicator in some toilet paper or the original wrapper and through it in the trash. that's why they have those little trash bins in womens' restrooms, right?


    ew

    ew

    ew

    ew.

     Reply
    hippichx sez PEACE PLEASE was starred hippichx sez PEACE PLEASE was unstarred
    Image of Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni!
    06/27/09

    @hippichx sez PEACE PLEASE: The tampon never goes in the toilet! That's what the little bins with the sanitizing agent are for! Do you flush band-aids too?

    Honestly.
     Reply
    Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was starred Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was unstarred
    Image of Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni!
    06/27/09

    @Fridge Hussy : You Do The Meth!: Why did I spell sanitising with a "z"? Strewth.
     Reply
    Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was starred Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni! was unstarred
    Image of katie.scarlett.o'hara katie.scarlett.o'hara
    06/27/09

    @Fridge Hussy : You Do The Meth!:Seriously! The only thing that goes in the toilet is tp. I remember my stepmom clogging up a hotel toilet with a tampon once, and I was mortified on her behalf and scarred for life as far as unflushables go.


    Really, though, this entire thread is making me LOL.

     Reply
    katie.scarlett.o'hara was starred katie.scarlett.o'hara was unstarred
    Image of long_division long_division
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    Halifax Jezebels represent! Woo! How awesome is my hometown, guys?
     Reply
    long_division was starred long_division was unstarred
    Image of happy macrophage happy macrophage
    06/27/09

    @long_division: So awesome. And honestly, I've never had a gross floatie experience. Go me!
     Reply
    happy macrophage was starred happy macrophage was unstarred
    Image of happy macrophage happy macrophage
    06/27/09

    @happy macrophage: Although, I'm representin' for the Basin side, and their treatment plant has been in place for a pretty long time now. No stink, no floaties!
     Reply
    happy macrophage was starred happy macrophage was unstarred
    Image of eowyn for the win eowyn for the win
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    So I know you're not supposed to flush the applicators, but what about the tampon itself? A friend told me once that I'm not even supposed to put that in the toilet, which seems really gross to me because it's actually been inside my vagina soaking up blood... surely it can't be sanitary to leave that in the trash. Anybody know which option is better?
     Reply
    eowyn for the win was starred eowyn for the win was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/27/09

    @eowyn for the win: You are definitely not supposed to flush tampons. Ever. Only the most robust urban sewage pipes can handle them, and even that is pushing it. It's a lot more sanitary to have tampons in the trash (wrapped in toilet paper) than to have an entire sewage system backing up.
     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of haguenite haguenite
    06/27/09

    @eowyn for the win: You wrap them in toilet paper and chuck them in the bin.


    If the place where you're using the bathroom has old pipes you can cause a seriously embarrassing situation.

     Reply
    haguenite was starred haguenite was unstarred
    Image of haguenite haguenite
    06/27/09

    @eowyn for the win: Jezebel's Moe was of the opinion that tampon flushing is an inalienable r.... Lots of commenters disagreed. Make of that what you will.
     Reply
    haguenite was starred haguenite was unstarred
    Image of FurrierAndIves FurrierAndIves
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    I don't know that I've even been led to believe that ANY applicator was 'flushable'. Wrap that stuff in TP and put in the trash. If worries about smells hound you, take out the trash.


    I think any non-flushable objects carry the potential to screw up yr sewars/septic systems. One goofy friend has a story about flushing his daily dental floss after using. And yes, he had to have a plumber explain to him that it can clog the drains. IDK, seems like a no-brainer to me.

     Reply
    FurrierAndIves was starred FurrierAndIves was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/27/09

    @FurrierAndIves: My worst incident was flushable kitty litter. Turns out the manufacturers LIE.
     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of tonightineed is actually Mrs. Ziegler-Spock tonightineed is actually Mrs. Ziegler-Spock
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    Down at the ocean front the other day, a used pad washed up in front of me. Looking fresh. I gagged.
     Reply
    tonightineed is actually Mrs. Ziegler-Spock was starred tonightineed is actually Mrs. Ziegler-Spock was unstarred
    Image of Snacky_Onassis Snacky_Onassis
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    i read somewhere once that environmentalists call the washed up applicators "beach whistles". Also, OB all the way. I've never understood the discomfort women have with touching their own body.
     Reply
    Snacky_Onassis was starred Snacky_Onassis was unstarred
    Image of wtfox?! wtfox?!
    06/27/09

    @Snacky_Onassis: Some of us had the shit scared and disgusted out of us in sex ed programs that told us the female body is a well of revolting, revolting things, and that all contact with certain parts should be kept to a bare minimum. And we're still working on changing those attitudes. It's a long, slow process, and believe me, if I could press a button so I could be suddenly, miraculously okay with my body, I would press the shit out of that thing.
     Reply
    wtfox?! was starred wtfox?! was unstarred
    Image of la.donna.pietra la.donna.pietra
    06/27/09

    @wtfox?!: Hearted. Completely.
     Reply
    la.donna.pietra was starred la.donna.pietra was unstarred
    Image of wtfox?! wtfox?!
    06/27/09

    @Snacky_Onassis, @wtfox?!: Urgh, sorry if that came off short and hostile... it's one of those Things. If I could travel back in time, I'd either tell my 11-year-old self it's all okay, you're cool, it's your teachers that are insane, or else break my sex ed/religion teacher's jaw. Possibly I would do both.
     Reply
    wtfox?! was starred wtfox?! was unstarred
    Image of whynotshesaid whynotshesaid
    06/27/09

    @wtfox?!: Your sex ed AND religion teacher? They were the same person?


    You poor, poor dear. No wonder.

     Reply
    whynotshesaid was starred whynotshesaid was unstarred
    Image of Devonna Devonna
    06/27/09

    In reply to Ocean Not Having A Happy Period As Tampon Applicators Wash Up On Canadian Shores
    Creating a general awareness of not flushing your applicator would be nice, TAMPAX instead of saying, "read this entire pamphlet!" That's a bit of a cop out. Yes, they give you instructions but NO I haven't read them since I was 14 years old, honestly.
     Reply
    Devonna was starred Devonna was unstarred
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