Menstruators Demand Higher Standards for Managing Periods Away-From-Home

Citron Hygiene surveyed over 3000 women across North America about menstrual hygiene practices in public washrooms, and the results a clear – standards need to improve.

TORONTO, March 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - 89% of women across North America agree that pads and tampons should be offered for free in school and healthcare washrooms. 75% think that period products should be free for all menstruators, everywhere, all the time. There is only minor variation in responses by age and region, showing that the demand to access period products in the same way one would expect to access toilet paper is almost unanimous among women throughout the continent. 

So how would respondents use free period products if offered to them? 66% would only take menstrual products they needed at that moment, 16% would stock up on what they needed for the rest of the day, and 6% would take what they needed for their entire period. Only 2% would also take enough products for future periods. Still, with 26% of women reporting struggling to afford pads and tampons due to inflation and interest rate increases, the data shows that even those who badly need period products would hesitate to take more than their share. For these women, the provision of free period products at work and school can be life altering, allowing them to participate in their education and work without fear of falling behind or being misjudged for absenteeism when they have their period.

Providing period dignity to menstruators goes beyond offering menstrual products and extends into managing and disposing of menstrual hygiene waste. The standard disposal option in women's washrooms is often small steel boxes mounted to the side of the cubicle wall or, at worst, no disposal option at all. Half of the women say that the ubiquitous metal wall box is an inadequate means of disposal for period products, with 75% of respondents agreeing that touch-free menstrual hygiene waste bins are the superior option. Businesses may feel the impact of not catering to the needs of their menstruating visitors, as almost 30% of women reported that they would rather flush their pads and tampons than come into contact with an unsanitary, often overflowing metal wall box.

66% of women responded that they would prefer to spend money at a business that provided free period products over one that did not. But businesses can benefit in more ways than one by offering a true Period Dignity Washroom. When no menstrual hygiene waste disposal is offered in the stall, women are most likely to flush pads (15%) and tampons (38%), causing businesses significant and costly plumbing problems from backup, as menstrual waste absorbs water and expands, rather than breaking down like toilet paper.  However, when a touchless menstrual hygiene waste unit is offered, the likelihood of flushing decreases to 13% and 26%, respectively.

Citron Hygiene, a global washroom hygiene services company specializing in providing and disposing of menstrual hygiene in public washrooms, has surveyed 3000 women across Canada and the US about their sentiments toward free period products, menstrual waste disposal, and flushing period products.

"The data we've gathered unequivocally displays a demand for increased standards in washroom hygiene, particularly for menstruating washroom users," said Robert Guice, CEO of Citron Hygiene. "The status quo of unhygienic metal wall boxes and empty, paid vending machines is simply not good enough. Women across North America want free period products in washrooms, just like toilet paper and soap, and they understand the positive impact it will have on their day-to-day lives. But period dignity is not only about the ability to access period products – it's also about having safe, hygienic disposal options in the stalls. Washrooms need to accommodate how menstruators manage their periods in public spaces so they can continue their work, school, and social activities without stigma or fears for their health or livelihood."

In 2022 Citron Hygiene partnered with Aunt Flow and committed to only offering customers dispensers of free menstrual products for their washrooms. Combined with menstrual hygiene waste disposal bins and services, this commitment enables schools and businesses to provide Period Dignity Washrooms to all users. To learn more about raising the standards for menstrual hygiene in your washrooms, visit https://www.citronhygiene.com/.  

Citron Hygiene LP is a leading global company that provides washroom hygiene products and services to businesses and institutions that seek to enhance their brand by providing their customers and employees with an elevated washroom experience. With industry experience spanning 45 years, Citron Hygiene is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and has service locations throughout Canada, US, and the United Kingdom. Citron Hygiene is a private portfolio company of Birch Hill Equity Partners, a Canadian mid-market private equity firm. To learn more, visit www.citronhygiene.com 

SOURCE Citron Hygiene LP