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.
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 women, 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 the
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 Hopper "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 usually occurs),
it creates a breeding ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot
longer than it wouldwith just cotton tampons. This is also the reason
why TSS (toxic shock syndrome) occurs.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? Uing 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, Germany, British Columbia,
etc.) have demanded a switch to this safer tampon, while the US 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, OB, Kotex. Call the 800 numbers listed
on the boxes. Let them know that we demand a
safe product - ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.

Blessings,

Kandy

Work at home - free info:
http://www.zibgib.com/grab.html?4891-4