A toxic pesticide linked to cancer has been found in tampons at levels 40 times higher than the legal limit for drinking water.
Researchers found traces of glyphosate at high levels in menstrual products, according to a report by the Pesticide Action Network UK (Pan UK), the Women’s Environmental Network and the Pesticide Collaboration.
It is the world’s most commonly used herbicide and in 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified it “probably carcinogenic”.
Researchers have also linked glyphosate to other serious health conditions such as Parkinson’s.
High levels of the pesticide in tampons is concerning because these chemicals can be absorbed through the vagina directly into the bloodstream.
In 2024, Pan UK tested 15 boxes of tampons from UK shops and supermarkets across a range of different brands for traces of pesticides.
Despite testing on a small scale, glyphosate was found in one of the boxes, at 0.004 mg/kg – 40 times higher than permitted levels of glyphosate in drinking water.
It is thought the toxic pesticide ends up in tampons due to the weedkillers used to grow cotton.
About 300 pesticides are used in cotton production globally and roughly a third of these are classified as Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), such as glyphosate.
Researchers at Pan UK say these pesticides used in cotton production pose a major risk to the environment, harming pollinators and other wildlife or contaminating water and soil.
Josie Cohen, the interim director at Pan UK, told The Guardian: “We urgently need to reduce our overall toxic load and shouldn’t have to worry about glyphosate and other highly hazardous pesticides in our period products.
“This is a blatant gap in health and safety regulation that the government urgently needs to address.”
Previous studies have shown period products can contain a variety of other chemicals including phthalates, dioxins, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (known as ‘PFAS’ or ‘forever chemicals’), and heavy metals such as lead and arsenic.
These chemicals have been linked to increased risks of reproductive and hormonal diseases such as endometriosis, infertility and cancer researchers warn.
Currently there is no specific regulations for period products in the UK, making it the responsibility of the manufacturers to ensure the product is safe.
Pan UK has suggested a regulation scheme and testing should be implemented to ensure they are free of chemical residues.
It added that manufacturers should also disclose all the ingredients and additives found in period products so that customers can make informed decisions.
