The news of researchers finding toxic metals in big-brand tampons came as a shock to many women last month—but not to me. I’ve been worried about the safety of period products, as well as their environmental impact, for decades. I founded Natracare as a direct response to those concerns—more on that later.
The researchers—from the University of California at Berkeley—found 16 metals, among them lead and arsenic, in 30 tampons from 14 brands and 18 product lines sold across the U.S. and Europe. Metals may easily be absorbed when placed in direct contact with the vagina, as noted in the study, published in the journal Environmental International.
