North Ayrshire Council joins communities and its partners to pledge its support this week for Environmenstrual Week 2025 (20-26 October).
As part of the council’s climate change pledge to become a net zero local authority by 2030, our Community Facilities Resources team is encouraging residents to switch to sustainable period products.
The continued threat of the Cost-of-Living crisis is making hygiene products unaffordable for many with recent Zero Waste Scotland data showing that one in 5 people in Scotland are impacted.
This has to change.
Disposal of period products is also an environmental concern. Traditional one time-use sanitary pads with plastic wrappers, and tampons with plastic applicators, pose a threat with over 340,000 tampons and pantyliners estimated to be flushed down the toilet in Scotland every day.
In 2017, North Ayrshire Council became the first local authority to provide period products in all public buildings, completely free of charge. This was before it became law in 2021 for all local authorities to provide them to all residents.
Although the feedback has been great, in a recent community consultation the public expressed that they would like more choice of free eco-friendly washable products.
In response, the Period Dignity team who spearhead our products provision are doing exactly that, this Environmenstrual Week.
Across our 16 community larders, we will stock a range of sustainable ‘Hey Girls’ menstrual cups and reusable pads to help people to take the next step in their menstruation journey using products that are kind to the pocket and the planet too.
If you need help topping up your weekly shopping or accessing sustainable period products, you can find your nearest larder on our NA Fairer Food Community Food Places map.
If you have an experience to share, please get in touch with the Period Dignity Team at: perioddignity@north-ayrshire.gov.uk or if you can spare five minutes fill in their service user survey.
Your menstruation matters to us…
The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 sets out the right to free period products for those who menstruate. A duty is placed on local authorities to provide these products within school and community settings.
Overarching duties of the Act are to make period products:
- obtainable free of charge for anyone who needs them
- available free of charge in educational establishments during term time
We are proud to be the first local authority in the UK to introduce free period products in schools in 2017. We continue to strive to be sector leading, building on our operating model by:
- extending and promoting our access points
- raising awareness of Period Poverty
Staff resources have been allocated via the Period Dignity team – part of the council’s Community Resources service – to focus on the issue and to progress an action plan to ensure this delivers at a scale and pace to give our citizens the rights to have a period with comfort and dignity.
Find out more on the dedicated Period Dignity webpage.