Why They Matter
Dioxins and furans are structurally similar substances that are byproducts of chlorine bleaching, synthesis of herbicides, or from incineration. They are often found in period products, like pads and tampons, and are linked to various adverse effects on humans. People with periods use pads and tampons for several days at a time on a monthly basis for decades – and vaginal tissue happens to be some of the most absorptive skin on people’s bodies.
Dioxins and furans are naturally occurring in the environment; it is therefore pertinent to limit consumer exposures, where possible, to leverage some control over the general population’s exposure to these harmful chemicals.
What Are They?
Dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzodioxins) and furans (polychlorinated dibenzofurans) are groups of compounds which are byproducts of the chlorine bleaching process that gives conventional period care products, like pads and tampons, that pristine, white look. As byproducts, they often remain in the material fibers, though they will not be listed on the ingredient label. Prior to industrialization, dioxins only existed in small amounts resulting from natural geological processes. [1]
Dioxins share a similar toxicity and chemical profile with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs were once manufactured for use as insulator fluids, hydraulic fluids, and as additives in paints, caulks, and oils. They were banned in 1979 for their toxicity, persistence in the environment, and ability to travel widespread to even remote areas of the world, like the Arctic.[2] The main difference between the two substances is that PCBs were synthetically manufactured, but dioxins are naturally occurring (and thus cannot be banned like PCBs were).[3]
Where They're Found
Dioxins and furans can be found in personal care and household products that have undergone chlorine bleaching, such as pads and tampons. They can also be found in paper products (like paper towels or toilet paper) from the bleaching of wood pulp. Due to their bioaccumulative nature and prevalence in the food chain, humans are primarily exposed to dioxins and furans through the consumption of food items such as meat, fish, or milk products. [4] [5] These compounds can make their way into the tissues of terrestrial and aquatic animals by way of contaminated air, soil, plants, or sediments. [6]
The Health Concern
Both dioxins and furans are persistent [7] (that means they don’t break down readily in the environment) and bioaccumulate [8] (meaning they build up in our bodies). Dioxin and furan exposures have been linked to cancer, [9][10][11] reproductive harm, immune disfunction, [12][13] and hormone disruption. [14] Several of these compounds are listed in the TEDX List of Potential Endocrine Disruptors. [15][16] Very small doses of one dioxin called tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) can cause death in wildlife and/or laboratory animals, earning its reputation as “the most toxic man-made chemical” and the most toxic of the dioxins. One 2002 study found dioxins and furans in four out of four brands of tampons tested. [17] While the levels were low, this study didn’t account for one critical fact: vaginal tissue is some of the most absorptive skin on people’s bodies.
Consider this: Doctors are increasingly administering hormone treatments vaginally because the drug can be transferred directly into the bloodstream without being metabolized, the way it would if taken orally. When given vaginally, the levels of the drug in the body can be 10-80 times higher than when given orally. [18]
How to Avoid Them
Pads and tampons are regulated as ‘medical devices,’ which means there’s no government requirement that ingredients are disclosed, making it harder to avoid chemicals you’re concerned about. But you can limit your potential exposure through the following practices:
Shop MADE SAFE Certified feminine care products.
Look for “totally chlorine-free” or unbleached pads, tampons, and paper products like toilet paper and paper towels.
Opt for reusable towels and handcloths instead of paper towels to avoid exposures to dioxins and furans and to reduce waste.
References
[1] Schecter, A., Birnbaum, L., Ryan, J.J., Constable, J.D. (2006). Dioxins: An overview. Environmental Research, 101, 419-428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2005.12.003
[2] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service. (2023). What are PCBs? Accessed February 24, 2023. Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pcbs.html#
[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2017). Dioxins, Furans and Dioxin-Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls Factsheet. Accessed February 24, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/DioxinLikeChemicals_FactSheet.html
[4] United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.). Dioxins and Furans Factsheet. Retrieved from https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastemin/web/pdf/dioxfura.pdf
[5] The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. (2008). The 12 initial POPs under the Stockholm Convention. Retrieved from http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ThePOPs/The12InitialPOPs/tabid/296/Default.aspx
[6 ] National Academies Press (US). (2003). Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in the food supply. National Library of Medicine – NCBI Bookshelf. Accessed March 7, 2024. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221703/#
[7] The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. (2008). The 12 initial POPs under the Stockholm Convention. Retrieved from http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ThePOPs/The12InitialPOPs/tabid/296/Default.aspx
[8] United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.). Dioxins and Furans Factsheet. Retrieved from https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastemin/web/pdf/dioxfura.pdf
[9] Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). (1988). 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p dioxin (TCDD). California Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed February 24, 2023. Retrieved from https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/2378-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-tcdd
[10] International Agency for Research on Cancer, (IARC). (2012). IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans: 2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-para-DIOXIN, 2,3,4,7,8-PENTACHLORODIBENZOFURAN, AND 3,3′,4,4′,5-PENTACHLOROBIPHENYL. (Vol. 100F). World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol100F/index.php
[11] DeVito, MJ and Schecter, A. (2002). Exposure assessment to dioxins from the use of tampons and diapers. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110(1), 23- 28. https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/ehp.0211023
[12] Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (1998). Toxicological profile for chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs). Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/TP.asp?id=366&tid=63
[13] DeVito, MJ and Schecter, A. (2002). Exposure assessment to dioxins from the use of tampons and diapers. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110(1), 23- 28. https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/ehp.0211023
[14] DeVito, MJ and Schecter, A. (2002). Exposure assessment to dioxins from the use of tampons and diapers. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110(1), 23- 28. https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/ehp.0211023
[15] The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, (TEDX). (2017). Search the TEDX list: dioxin. Accessed February 24, 2023. Retrieved from http://endocrinedisruption.org/interactive-tools/tedx-list-of-potential-endocrine-disruptors/search-the-tedx-list
[16] The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, (TEDX). (2017). Search the TEDX list: furan. Accessed February 24, 2023. Retrieved from http://endocrinedisruption.org/interactive-tools/tedx-list-of-potential-endocrine-disruptors/search-the-tedx-list
[17] DeVito, MJ and Schecter, A. (2002). Exposure assessment to dioxins from the use of tampons and diapers. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110(1), 23- 28. https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/ehp.0211023
[18] Tourgeman D.E., Gentzchein E., Stanczyk F.Z., Paulson R.J. (1999). Serum and tissue hormone levels of vaginally and orally administered estradiol. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 180(6), 1480-1483. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(99)70042-6
If you found this post valuable, please share it below. Follow us on social to let us know what you like, what you need, and what you want to see more of. Also, don’t forget to ask the companies making your favorite products to become #MADESAFE Certified. Remember, your voice matters!