A new study has confirmed that glyphosate is present in period products at levels 40 times higher than the legal limit for drinking water. Conducted by PAN UK and the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), the study warns that millions of women and girls could be at risk of exposure to this chemical, which has been linked to life-threatening illnesses.
When exposed to glyphosate through period products such as tampons, the chemical can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the body’s natural detoxification system. Glyphosate has been associated with a range of serious health issues including cancer, dementia, fertility problems, and more.
“If this level of glyphosate is deemed to be unsafe in the water we drink, why is it allowed to appear in our period products?” asked Amy Heley from the Pesticide Collaboration. “Our investigation reveals that women, girls, and those who menstruate may not be protected from exposure to harmful chemicals. And yet, most people remain completely unaware that this is even an issue.”
According to PAN UK, research into how toxic chemicals in period products impact people’s health is almost nonexistent, leading to a dangerous lack of awareness. “Half of the world’s population will have periods in their lifetime, with the average person using 11,000 disposable period products. Yet research into how toxic chemicals in these products impact health barely exists, which is why this new study by PAN UK and WEN is so important,” the organization stated.
The study also revealed that major brands are not being held accountable through existing rules or regulations. As a result, even heavy metals such as lead and arsenic have been found in tampons. PAN UK highlighted that if period product megabrands were required to disclose the harmful chemicals in their products, they would be forced to seek safer alternatives to cotton contaminated with glyphosate.
Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide and has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
While the study’s authors have suggested implementing a regulatory scheme that includes testing to ensure period products are pesticide-free, the UK government currently has no plans to address the presence of chemicals in these products, despite evidence of their impact on women’s health.
“Enough is enough. Now is the time to ramp up the pressure on the UK government to introduce regulation and testing of period products, force companies to disclose their chemical ingredients so that everyone can make informed choices about their bodies and health, and ensure safe period products are accessible to all,” the study concludes.
https://www.nationofchange.org/2025/10/26/glyphosate-levels-40-times-higher-in-period-products-than-legal-limit-for-drinking-water-new-study/