Sanitary Pad Vending Machines, Incinerators At Women’s Hostels On Campuses?:- As part of the Swacch Bharath Mission, all the universities have been directed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to install sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators on the premises of girls and women’s hostels.

The UGC in an effort to promote disposal of menstrual waste, has directed all the universities to encourage women to use eco-friendly incinerators and to promote research for a biodegradable alternative as improper disposal of napkins damages ecology. With a perspective to promote menstrual health of women and adolescent girls by ensuring availability of quality sanitary napkins, automated sanitary napkin vending machine and incinerators in all government colleges in the State have been installed by the Haryana Government, in January this year.

The concept of the ‘Sanitary Napkin Vending Machines and incinerators’ have been introduced by a Central public sector unit. The machinery is expected to cost around Rs 50,000, and the expenditure to install the machinery can be directly booked under the Solid Waste Management component of the Swachh Bharat Mission, read the notice.

A professor at the English and Foreign Languages University said, “This idea of installation of Sanitary Napkin Vending Machines and Incinerators within the premises of Women’s Hostels as part of Swacch Bharath Mission is good provided it is maintained properly but it also depends on the quality of napkins the vending machines will provide.”

She further added that, “Especially we are not sure of the menstrual hygiene habits of lower cadre employees. There should be regular training and the napkins should be of good quality.”

An inmate at the women’s hostel on OU campus said, “It is a very helpful step as sometimes we get periods unexpectedly.”

A majority of the girls or women feel embarrassed, in view of social taboo associated with sanitary napkins, and hesitate to go to the commonly known, manned and often crowded conventional or medical or general stores for sanitary napkins. This often results in unsafe practices and use of unhygienic materials during the menstrual period.

It is a very common problem of the disposal of used sanitary napkins everywhere. An official requesting anonymity said, incinerators would be the best solution for girls who do not like to carry their used sanitary napkins or pads to a bin in front of family and friends.

SUPRAJA