Product test found PFAS in tampons

The organization Mamavation found PFAS Forever Chemicals in tampons. The test is part of the EHN.org investigation of PFAS in products.

You can find the full report here.

Mamavation sent 23 different tampons to a certified laboratory and asked them to look for indications of PFAS. The lab found indications for PFAS in 22% of the tested products, including two eco-brands.

PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that can be found in many different products. They are called “Forever Chemicals” because they are presistent in the environment and can last for years and even decades in our bodies.

Main findings from the report

• 22% of the tampons we sent to our EPA-certified laboratory had indications of PFAS “forever chemicals.” 5 out of 23 tampons tested had indications of PFAS.

• 2 products with detections of organic fluorine were advertised as “organic” tampons, however, they were not GOTS organic certified products.
  
• 3 products with detections of organic fluorine had plastic applicators and 2 had cardboard applicators.
  
• The levels of organic fluorine, a marker for PFAS, varied from 19 parts per million (ppm) to 28 parts per million (ppm).
  
• It’s unknown what the health impacts are to women who are exposed to PFAS “forever chemicals” inside the vagina or if those chemicals can leach into the body from the intimate use of a tampon.