Case Study: Plastic Free. Period.

Products for all - reducing waste, improving inclusivity across Frome and behaviour change nudges

This initiative focuses on the potential for carbon savings, cost savings and health impacts for the menstruating residents of Frome, from switching to plastic-free menstrual products. 

Method

In partnership with the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), we deliver educational workshops for various groups: 

• Local students in years 7 to 9 during PHSE lessons 
• School staff (including information about the government’s period product scheme) 
• Staff at Frome Medical Practice 
• Patient support at Young Person’s Clinic 
• Community engagement events 

The Plastic Free. Period. team has used funding to conduct audits at local retail stores and compiled a town inventory of available products. Alongside this, national and international suppliers have supported the project with Frome specific discount codes. 

The team has also supplied plastic free period demonstration kits to local schools and distributed plastic free period packs at no cost to students in years 7, 8 and 9.

Results so far

• 1060 students engage with the project to date 
• 16 members of school staff engaged with the workshops 
• 8 school workshops delivered
• 2 Frome Medical Practice staff education sessions delivered 
• Training for Young Person’s Clinic support
• 65 Young Person’s Clinics 
• 3 community engagement events reaching 630 members of the community. Events held were International Women's Day event, award winning poet Liv Torc commissioned to write and deliver ‘May the pants be with you’ poem, Luna community event 
• 110 period packs (included 3 period pants, 1 pad, 1 washbag and 1 period Zine) distributed so far 

Project results

• 300 plastic free period packs to be distributed in 2024, which will result in saving 1,590kg of CO2e each year, equivalent to 7,950kg of CO2e over 5 years (the predicted lifetime of period pants.) 
• 300 packs, distributed to students over 1 year is estimated to save a total of £39,000. This is a saving of £130 per person per year. Over 5 years, this will be a saving of £195,000 for the 300 students. Savings are estimated at about £5,000 over a lifetime. 
• 200kg of waste will be saved from landfill per person, a total of 60,000kg waste for all students who received the pack

Next Steps 

Plastic Free. Period. will work with local schools and the community to measure the behaviour change of impact of introducing these products at an early age. 

We hope to find that young people who receive plastic free period products, and the support on how to use the products, are more likely to use them for the rest of their life, decreasing their carbon footprint, saving waste from landfill, saving money and inspiring other low carbon lifestyle behaviour changes.