TLDR: Our tampons go through stringent tests that exceed the current FDA requirements and we are confident in their safety. No metals are added to any August products at any point.
If you haven’t seen it yet, a new study detecting trace amounts of metals in 30 tampon samples from 14 unnamed tampon brands was recently published by Environment International.
At August, product quality and safety are our top priority. We make sure to provide you with period care that is not just reliable, comfortable and soft, but, most importantly, safe. Our tampons go through testing that goes beyond FDA requirements and standard certifications to ensure our products are ethically manufactured and safe to use. No metals are added to any August products at any point.
Below is an outline of all the steps taken to ensure the safety of our August tampons:
- Raw Material Selection: Our raw materials are meticulously selected to ensure they are free from harmful substances, and are thoroughly evaluated for legal and safety compliance by a registered toxicologist
- Our organic cotton is certified Oeko-Tex Standard 100 (a test for textiles & accessories for harmful substances) and GOTS (the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers made from raw materials)
- Advanced Purification and Quality Control: Our suppliers use clean, filtered water and state-of-the-art equipment
- FDA 510(k) approved: Our products are safe and effective as per the federal government’s standards
- Certifications: Our manufacturing site adheres to the highest international standards, certified as/by:
- ISO 9001 – the international standard for specifications for a quality management system
- ISO 13485 – the international standard for medical device quality management
- BRC – the British equivalent of the FDA; certifies food quality and safety
- MDSAP – the agency that conducts regulatory audits of medical device manufacturers' quality management systems
- Trace Chemical Tests: Our raw materials are checked for contaminants like heavy metals
- Biocompatibility Testing: Our products are tested to ensure they are safe for prolonged use on sensitive skin
- We do not use any metal compounds in our production
Should I throw out my tampons?
Short answer: no.
As Dr. Bethany Samuelson Bannow, an associate professor of medicine specializing in hematology at Oregon Health and Science University, says in The New York Times, “there’s small amounts of these metals found, really, everywhere…”. This is because heavy metals occur naturally in the Earth’s crust and various elements of nature (i.e. water, soil, and air). As EDANA points out, “they are present – at higher levels than those detected in the study – in our drinking water and daily foods, such as vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, and seafood." And, as Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, MD OBGYN IBCLC said in her video recap, “there was nothing in this study that could tell you how much of what was in the tampon was absorbed into your body…that’s a limitation.”
As a small team of menstruators, we know it is scary to hear that this study found trace amounts of metals in the tampons they tested. We believe there is a need to understand the implications of this specific study, and we support and stand with all the doctors, researchers and users advocating for further research.
Learn more about how the period care industry is responding to this news:
- read here (EDANA)
- watch this (Dr. Jennifer Lincoln MD OBGYN IBCLC)
- read this (Dr. Jen Gunter OBGYN)
If you have any follow-up questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at care@itsaugust.co – we’ll get back to you ASAP!
