Yorkshire Water: Reusable Period Products

Approximately 4 million tampons and pads are flushed down toilets in the UK every day, causing significant problems and costs for water companies. To investigate the issue and tackle it at its source, Yorkshire Water commissioned us to carry out a mixed methods approach to understand flushing and disposal behaviours, and to determine how to speak to this audience in a way that encourages uptake of reusable period products. 

The research had a qualitative and quantitative phase. First, we spoke to 40 respondents from the Yorkshire Water region through focus groups, friendship groups, mother-daughter paired interviews, and depth interviews. We focused on hearing from a range of age groups, as well as ethnic minority respondents, to understand how cultural and religious factors may impact period product use. Secondly, we ran a quantitative survey of 500 women, focusing on awareness and attitudes towards reusable period products, especially barriers to their uptake.

We produced a report analysing the biggest influences on period product choices, different perceptions of reusable vs. disposable products, and knowledge of pipe and sewer blockages. The findings have informed Yorkshire Water’s communications around period products and approach to tackling blockages caused by disposable products.