THE founder of a business started in the Island has expressed his surprise that the government did not ‘take environmental factors into account’ when making free period products available.
St.John Pearce-Burke, who launched TOTM in Jersey in 2014 to ‘disrupt’ the menstrual care market, said that while he applauded the States decision to address period poverty by providing sanitary products in schools and community locations, he had hoped that sustainability would have been factored into the decision-making process.
Now the biggest and fastest-growing eco period brand in the UK, TOTM uses only organic cotton in its products, ensuring not only that they are plastic-free but also that the company is carbon-neutral.
Recognising that period products are the fifth-biggest contributor to plastic pollution in the oceans, Mr Pearce-Burke said that as well as providing plastic-free alternatives, TOTM worked to reduce this problem through its partnership with Plastic Bank, a for-profit social enterprise.
‘Last year, we said that for every cardboard applicator tampon we sold, we would, through this partnership, remove the equivalent of one plastic applicator from the ocean,’ he said. ‘So far, we have removed almost six million – the equivalent weight of 20 grand pianos.’
Commenting on the government’s decision, he said: ‘Fundamentally, I really applaud the States for agreeing to provide free period products. This is a very progressive and important step. However, as an Island community, I thought that, when selecting a brand to work with, they would have factored in the environment impact of the products they were choosing to buy.
‘While I appreciate that cost is always an issue, I cannot imagine that the difference in price was significant and I would have thought that our Jersey roots and the fact that we are the most sustainable brand on the market would have resonated with a community surrounded by the sea.’
TOTM already works with councils including Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, South Gloucestershire and Milton Keynes, and Mr Pearce-Burke said that, as the company was ‘constantly improving its environmental credentials, with a commitment to achieving net-zero by 2025’, he hoped that, when the government next considered its supplier, it would take a more holistic view.
Commenting on the States’ decision, Social Security Minister Elaine Millar said: ‘During this initial pilot phase of the scheme, only disposable products have been made available as emerging evidence from other jurisdictions indicates that disposable products still account for the majority of products purchased/demanded, despite reusable products being offered.
‘It is our intention to understand more about the types of products that people want and, of course, to ensure that sustainability considerations inform our decisions in the range of products that are made available through the scheme.
‘The public consultation about access to free period products included a question on the types of products people wanted to see as part of the scheme. Reusable products were included within the list of options that could be selected and there was also an opportunity for people to suggest any other types of products not listed. We are also seeking views about the importance of the products being environmentally friendly. The feedback gathered is being used to inform our ongoing approach.’
