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One of the major components of SBM-G is Solid and Liquid Waste Management. One of the key aspects of waste management is MHM. India has approximately 375 million girls and women aged 10-49 years, majority of who experience menstruation every month. Thus, adding to the quantum of Solid Waste produced, further raising demand to the urgency of having effective menstrual waste management.
Two main concerns are central to management of menstrual waste in India:
Due to these, used sanitary pads are discarded in the open, thrown in water bodies, thrown with the household waste, buried, burnt in the open, and even flushed down toilets - none of which are safe and appropriate methods. Many commercially available disposable products take hundreds of years to decompose, absorb thirty or more times their weight, thereby clogging drains, and when burned, release toxic fumes that are harmful for users and the environment.
While options for menstrual waste management exist in terms of incinerators, solid waste intervention, safe and sustainable menstrual waste management require an understanding of the menstrual products being used and disposed of. Hence, it is essential that administrators are aware of these solutions along with their advantages and disadvantages, and the linkage with menstrual absorbent products available and used in communities.
Swachh Bharat Mission- GraminMinistry of Drinking Water and Sanitation