Abstract

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC WRAPPERS IN DISPOSAL OF SANITARY PADS: A REVIEW

Ms. Vaishnavi Narawade*, Ms. Prachi Padwal, Tejas Patil, Aayush Lokhande

ABSTRACT

The issue of plastic waste from disposable sanitary pads represents one of the most pressing yet under-discussed environmental challenges in the field of menstrual hygiene management. Conventional sanitary pads contain up to 90% plastic, primarily in their wrappers, backing layers, and adhesives. These components are non-biodegradable and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, contributing significantly to landfill accumulation, microplastic pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions when incinerated. The global scale of menstrual hygiene product consumption—billions of units annually—exacerbates this problem, particularly in regions with limited waste management infrastructure, where used pads are often dumped in open fields, flushed into water systems, or burned in unsafe conditions. Addressing this issue necessitates the exploration of sustainable, biodegradablealternatives that can replace plastic components while ensuring user safety, functionality, and cost-effectiveness.[1] This review focuses on the development and application of biodisposable wrappers for sanitary pads using natural materials, with particular emphasis on banana leaf, gelatin, and fungal-growth-promoting additives. Banana leaves have historically been used as natural packaging materials in various cultures due to their rigidity, tensile strength, and water-resistant surface coatings. They present a viable candidate for forming the structural base of sanitary pad wrappers, providing the necessary mechanical protection during transportation and storage. Gelatin, derived from natural collagen sources, offers excellent film-forming capacity and water resistance, making it a promising substitute for synthetic leak-proofing layers. Its compatibility with other natural polymers further enhances its application potential. Additionally, the incorporation of fungal-growth-promoting ingredients—such as starch-based compounds, plant-derived fibers, or microbial inoculants—can accelerate post-use biodegradation by facilitating microbial colonization. Such additives ensure that discarded wrappers not only disintegrate faster but also reintegrate into natural ecological cycles without leaving harmful residues. The combined application of these materials addresses key functional requirements of sanitary pad wrappers: structural integrity, resistance to leakage, safety in handling, and rapid environmental degradation after disposal. However, challenges remain, including ensuring adequate shelf life, standardizing production techniques, and maintaining affordability for large-scale deployment in both urban and rural settings. Research also highlights the importance of balancing material properties with user acceptability, as menstrual products are closely tied to comfort, cultural perceptions, and public health considerations.[2] This paper systematically reviews current knowledge and innovations related to these natural materials, emphasizing their advantages, limitations, and potential integration into commercially viable biodisposable wrappers. The objective is to consolidate existing findings, evaluate the comparative suitability of banana leaf, gelatin, and fungal-growth-promoting additives, and outline future directions for interdisciplinary research in material science, microbiology, and sustainable product design. Ultimately, the adoption of biodisposable sanitary pad wrappers aligns with broader sustainability goals, including plastic waste reduction, circular economy initiatives, and improved menstrual hygiene management in environmentally responsible ways.[3] By advancing research on natural, biodegradable alternatives, this review underscores the possibility of reimagining sanitary pad packaging not as a source of persistent waste, but as a regenerative material cycle that serves both women’s health and environmental preservation. The findings contribute to ongoing discourse in public health, sustainable design, and waste management, while offering practical insights for policymakers, manufacturers, and researchers committed to mitigating the ecological burden of menstrual hygiene products.

Keywords: Sanitary Pads, Menstrual, Gelatin, Pseudostem, Lignin, Cellulose.