Minnesota Bill Targets Toxins in Tampons After Researchers Detect Metals in Menstrual Products

A proposed bill in the Minnesota Legislature seeks to limit sales of tampons with lead and arsenic in them, after researchers last summer published a study finding toxic metals in the products across the U.S. and Europe.

State law already prohibits lead in consumer items like clothing, cosmetics and toys if they have more than trace amounts of it. This proposal would explicitly add menstrual products to that list and also ban arsenic in them.

Under the bill, manufacturers would also have to disclose on labels if there are any other intentionally added synthetic ingredients.

The tampon study out of UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health evaluated 16 metals in different brands of tampons. All samples had metals in them, researchers said, but they noted the scope of their work did not look into to what extent those toxins were absorbed in the body or the impact on women’s health.