In the project LEIFS – Let it flow safely, OFI, together with the ACR institutes LVA and IWI, examined the safety assessment of menstrual products. During the project’s duration from 2022 to 2024, research teams worldwide searched for relevant standards. The conclusion: There are no international standards.
This led to the launch of an initiative that set in motion the development of a standard at the ISO level. The result was the formation of the ISO TC 338 technical committee, a group of experts from 55 nations working on the safety assessment of these products. Elisabeth Mertl, project manager of the LEIFS research project, is also contributing her expertise to this committee.
Menstrual products under the microscope
Although the ToxyFlow and ToxyCell research projects (Organic and inorganic compounds in menstrual products) are formally separate, their content is closely intertwined; they can therefore be viewed as a single project with a common goal: to make menstrual products safer worldwide. By assessing the safety and screening various menstrual products from around the world, the project establishes a state-of-the-art baseline and provides input for standardization.
The goal is to examine various menstrual products from different countries using chemical and microbiological methods to assess their safety. Chemical analyses primarily detect toxic substances. Biological assays are used to examine the products’ interactions with cell systems, with a focus on cytotoxicity, irritation, sensitization, hormonal activity, and genotoxicity.
The project results will be communicated to ISO Committee 338 and will provide input for decisions regarding the content of the standardization.
Funding:
ToxyFlow: Grant Gates Foundation
ToxyCell: The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF)
