A Comparative Review of Environmental Impact of Menstrual Waste Management in Indian and Global Scenarios with a Focus on Single-Use Conventional Sanitary Products

Used conventional sanitary napkins and baby diapers are an integral part of sanitary waste streams generated over the world in all countries with great prominence. This chapter is based on a detailed comparative scenario of sanitary waste management practices across the world, with a focus on the Indian national perspective. The study features a description of sanitary waste estimation based on their sales data for different countries and regions. The EU definition of single-use plastic waste for used conventional sanitary pads gives a deeper perspective for preparation of strategies for managing these waste streams. The study has tried to estimate consumption of sanitary napkins and baby diapers at the Indian national level and its comparison with various available international datasets. Details about sanitary waste disposal show adoption of onsite incineration as a preferred disposal method. Legal perspective on sanitary waste for various existing India legislation and Extended Producer Responsibility has also been analyzed. The chapter has also analyzed economic impact and climate change aspect of conventional single-use sanitary products. Contribution of conventional single-use sanitary products at international level has also been highlighted.