Polly:
All the points you raise (asbestos, etc.) are valid. I stalled at the
"breeding ground for dioxin," but being in a rush, merely zapped the
entire message on. Why? Yes, it's sensationalism and poorly conceived.
But I thought this would be a good forum for discussion. Plus, just
because something is poorly set up, provides weak (or no) evidence doesn't
mean there isn't something worth discussing in it. Importantly, I do not
believe that because something is regulated, etc., that it's not out
there, being used or if something has passed the Federal government's
so-called Good Housekeeping stamp of approval, I don't think it's
necessarily flawless, or lacking toxicity. I'm remembering Dalkon Shields
(not initially regulated and when they were in North America, intrepid
companies sent them to other countries); the Copper 7, DES, etc.
I also wonder if there have been any studies on women who use tampons
versus those who use pads. Are their cervixs less abraded (factoring in,
of course, other things--like frequency of sexual partners and other
variables that have been linked to dysplasia, cervical cancer, and other
problems)? There are fibers in tampons which certainly could irritate the
uterus, etc.--especially with long time use. And, as I understand it,
toxic shock syndrome was linked to overabsorbant tampons (those Super
ones). Wouldn't a material that "over" absorbs create similar concerns?
So, yes, below makes that very unconvincing reference to the PhD student
in Colorado, but buried in the allegations is something worth considering.
And...I don't think tampon manufacturers are going to entertain any notion
that their product might warrent a closer look.
Arlene
On Fri, 21 Apr 2000, polly ledvina wrote:
> Arlene,
>
> No. I have not heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons nor
> did I read it on the label. It did mention cotton and rayon. Maybe
> asbestos a "secret ingredient" in a secret conspiracy plot agains women?
>
> Asbestos use is highly regulated and restricted since 1980. As far as I
> know there are no accepted uses for asbestos. Tell me, why it is that
> asbestos has been removed from brake pads, floor tiles, insulation
> materials, etc. These are not uses where ingestion could occur either.
> There are thousands of asbestosis lawsuits from over exposures that
> originated many years ago. What tampon manufacturer would be so naive as
> to risk using asbestos in its product today. This allegation seems ridiculous.
>
> Dioxin is not "a chemical used in bleaching the products". It is a
> by-product of some paper bleaching processes. Furthermore, you certainly
> can't create a "breeding ground for dioxin" in the vagina. Dioxin is a
> chemical. It does not "breed".
>
> "A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado @ Boulder" does not
> qualify as an expert on the subject. She may be "taking a class this
> month" and "learning a lot about biology and woman, including much about
> feminine hygiene", but this letter is pure sensationalism. There may or
> may not be truth to some of what she is saying, but Ph.D. candidates should
> know that you must support your claims with data. What are her sources?
>
> We really need to raise the bar on what we are willing to believe,
> nevermind pass around to others. Sensationalism like this (in the name of
> science) just diminishes and dilutes the impact of legitimate findings.
>
> Polly, Ph.D.
>
>
> At 10:29 AM 4/21/00 -0700, you wrote:
> >
> >FYI.
> >
> >---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >> Please pass on to as many women as possible . . .
> >>
> >> If you use pads, but especially if you use tampons, read this and
> >> pass on to your friends (for the men receiving this e-mail, please
> >> forward it to your friends, significant others, sisters, mothers,
> >> daughters, etc.) thanks!
> >>
> >> Check the labels of the sanitary pads or tampons that you are going to
> > buy the next time, and see whether you spot any of the familiar signs
> >> stated in this email ...... no wonder so many women in the world suffer
> >from cervical cancer and womb tumors ......
> >
> > Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons? Why
> > would they do this? Because asbestos makes you bleed more . . . if you
> > bleed more, you're going to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law
> >> since asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their
> >> wisdom (not), did not consider tampons as being ingested, and therefore
> wasn't
> > illegal or considered dangerous. This month's Essence magazine has a
> >small article about this and they mention two manufacturers of a cotton
> >tampon alternative. The companies are Organic Essentials @ (800) 765-6491
> >and Terra Femme @ (800)755-0212.
> >
> > A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado @ Boulder sent the
> > following: "I am writing this because women are not being informed
> > about the dangers of something most of us use - tampons. I am taking a
> >class this month and I have been learning a lot about biology and woman,
> >including much about feminine hygiene. Recently we have learned that
> >tampons are actually dangerous (for other reasons than TSS). I'll tell you
> >this, after learning about this in our class, most of the females wound up
> >feeling angry and upset with the tampon industry, and I, for one, am going
> >to do something about it. To start, I want to inform everyone
> >> I can, and email is the fastest way that I know how. Here is the scoop:
> >
> >> Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmful: Rayon (for
> >> absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching the products).
> >> The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need bleached
> >> white products - in order to view the product as pure and clean.
> >
> >> The problem here is that the dioxin produced in this bleaching process
> > can lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is potentially
> >> carcinogenic (cancer-associated) and is toxic to the immune and
> >> reproductive systems. It has also been linked to endometriosis and
> >> lower sperm counts for men - for both, it breaks down the immune
> >> system.
> >
> > Last September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that
> > there really is no set "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin given
> > that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes from
> >> repeated contact (Karen Houppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon
> >> Industry").
> >
> >> I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month, for 38
> >> menstruating years is "repeated contact", wouldn't you? Rayon
> >contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a
> >> highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons
> >> are left behind in the vagina (as it usually occurs), it creates a
> >> breeding ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it
> >> would with just cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic
> >> shock syndrome) occurs.
> >
> >>
> >> WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
> >> Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all
> >> cotton. Other feminine hygiene products (pads/napkins) contain dioxin
> >> as well, but they are not nearly as dangerous since they are not in
> >> direct contact with the vagina. The pads/napkins need to stop being
> >> bleached, but obviously tampons are the most dangerous. So, what can
> >> you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons, that are
> >> made from 100% cotton, and that are UNBLEACHED. Unfortunately, there
> >> are very, very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are
> >> usually only found in health food stores. Countries all over the world
> >> (Sweden, German, British Colombia, etc.) have demanded a switch to
> >> this safer tampon, while the U.S. has decided to keep us in the dark
> >> about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a campaign against
> >> chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later, the makers of
> >> sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the green
> >> methods available). (MS magazine, May/June 1995).
> >>
> >> WHAT TO DO NOW:
> >> Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are being manipulated by this
> >> industry and the government, let's do something about it! Please write
> >> to the companies: Tampax (Tambrands), Playtex, O.B., Kotex. Call the 800
> >> numbers listed on the boxes. Let them know that we demand a safe
> >> product -
> >> ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.
> >>
> >> Reminder:
> >> P.S. In order not to lose the impact of this email, I suggest that
> >> anyone who want to forward to your friends, PLEASE copy this mail and
> >> paste to a NEW message. That way will not distort the whole message
> >> with all the forward arrows. Please do this with consideration and
> >> seriousness. Thanks
> >Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 08:22:20 -0700
> >From: "Kimberly White" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],[EMAIL PROTECTED],
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >Subject: fwd.
> >Mime-Version: 1.0
> >Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="=_5A026E72.7A1B75F4"
> >
> >Original Message-----
> >From: Michele Foreman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: Robyn Madsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; schelly Wallace
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Jean Tye <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; JO ANN BELL
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Joe &
> Sharon Karr <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Laura Lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2000 10:44 PM
> >
> >
> >> Please pass on to as many women as possible . . .
> >>
> >> If you use pads, but especially if you use tampons, read this and pass
> >> on to
> >> your friends (for the men receiving this e-mail, please forward it to
> >> your
> >> friends, significant others, sisters, mothers, daughters, etc.) thanks!
> >>
> >>
> >> Check the labels of the sanitary pads or tampons that you are going to
> >> buy
> >> the next time, and see whether you spot any of the familiar signs
> >> stated in
> >> this email ...... no wonder so many women in the world suffer from
> >> cervical
> >> cancer and womb tumors ......
> >> Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons? Why
> >> would they do this? Because asbestos makes you bleed more . . . if you
> >> bleed
> >> more, you're going to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law
> >> since
> >> asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their
> >> wisdom
> >> (not), did not consider tampons as being ingested, and therefore wasn't
> >>
> >> illegal or considered dangerous. This month's
> >> Essence magazine has a small article about this and they mention two
> >> manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies are Organic
> >>
> >> Essentials @ (800) 765-6491 and Terra Femme @ (800)755-0212.
> >> A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado @ Boulder sent the
> >> following: "I am writing this because women are not being informed
> >> about the
> >> dangers of something most of us use - tampons. I am taking a class this
> >>
> >> month and I have been learning a lot about biology and woman, including
> >>
> >> much
> >> about feminine hygiene. Recently we have learned that tampons are
> >> actually
> >> dangerous (for other reasons than TSS).
> >>
> >> I'll tell you this, after learning about this in our class, most of the
> >>
> >> females wound up feeling angry and upset with the tampon industry, and
> >> I for
> >> one, am going to do something about it. To start, I want to inform
> >> everyone
> >> I can, and email is the fastest way that I know how. Here is the scoop:
> >>
> >> Tampons contain two things that are potentially
> >> harmful: Rayon (for absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in
> >> bleaching
> >> the products). The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need
> >>
> >> bleached white products - in order to view the product as pure and
> >> clean.
> >>
> >> The problem here is that the dioxin produced in this bleaching process
> >> can
> >> lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is potentially
> >> carcinogenic (cancer-associated) and is toxic to the immune and
> >> reproductive
> >> systems. It has also been linked to endometriosis and
> >> lower sperm counts for men - for both, it breaks down the immune
> >> system.
> >>
> >> Last September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that
> >> there really is no set "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin given
> >> that
> >> it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes from
> >> repeated contact (Karen Houppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon
> >> Industry").
> >> I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month, for 38
> >> menstruating years is "repeated contact", wouldn't you? Rayon
> >> contributes to
> >> the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a
> >> highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons are
> >>
> >> left
> >> behind in the vagina (as it usually occurs), it creates a breeding
> >> ground
> >> for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it would with just
> >> cotton
> >> tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome) occurs.
> >>
> >>
> >> WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
> >> Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all
> >> cotton. Other feminine hygiene products (pads/napkins) contain dioxin
> >> as
> >> well, but they are not nearly as dangerous since they are not in direct
> >>
> >> contact with the vagina. The pads/napkins need to stop being bleached,
> >> but
> >> obviously tampons are the most dangerous. So, what can you do if you
> >> can't
> >> give up using tampons? Use tampons, that are
> >> made from 100% cotton, and that are UNBLEACHED. Unfortunately, there
> >> are
> >> very, very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are usually
> >>
> >> only
> >> found in health food stores. Countries all over the world (Sweden,
> >> German,
> >> British Colombia, etc.) have demanded a switch to this safer tampon,
> >> while
> >> the U.S. has decided to keep us in the dark about it. In 1989,
> >> activists in
> >> England mounted a campaign against
> >> chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later, the makers of
> >> sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the green
> >> methods
> >> available). (MS magazine, May/June 1995).
> >>
> >> WHAT TO DO NOW:
> >> Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are being manipulated by this
> >> industry and the government, let's do something about it! Please write
> >> to
> >> the companies: Tampax (Tambrands), Playtex, O.B., Kotex. Call the 800
> >> numbers listed on the boxes. Let them know that we demand a safe
> >> product -
> >> ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.
> >>
> >> Reminder:
> >> P.S. In order not to lose the impact of this email, I suggest that
> >> anyone
> >> who want to forward to your friends, PLEASE copy this mail and paste to
> >>
> >> a
> >> NEW message. That way will not distort the whole message with all the
> >> forward arrows. Please do this with consideration and seriousness.
> >> Thanks
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\TEXT.htm"
> >
> >Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\TEXT1.htm"
> >
>
>
