Coinciding with the menstrual hygiene day yesterday, Tshalumaphey Training and Resource Centre for the Nuns at Debsi in Thimphu received a sanitary pad-burning incinerator.
The health minister, Dechen Wangmo inaugurated the incinerator donated by the Bhutan National Bank and Clean Bhutan.
Nuns at the Tshalumaphey Training and Resource Centre will be piloting the small-scale home-based electric incinerator with a capacity to burn around 10 sanitary pads at a go.
Rigzin Lhamo from the Bhutan Nuns Foundation said that while they cannot say how effective the incinerator will be as they are yet to use it, however, they expect it to help in proper disposal of sanitary pads. “I feel this is a good idea- the sanitary pads take many years to decompose even if we bury it beneath the ground. So this incinerator is going to help in reducing the negative impact on the environment.”
The Bhutan Nuns Foundation said that the incinerator is one option that the Bhutan Nuns Foundation is piloting until better environment friendly options are available.
The Director of the Foundation, Dr Tashi Zangmo said, “ If this is seen as the best way to maintain health and hygiene and if it is environmentally friendly we can train other nuns in the nunneries as well.”
Meanwhile, the Bhutan Nuns Foundation said that 30 nunneries across the country also observed the menstrual hygiene day.
Bhutan Nuns Foundation said maintaining good menstrual health and hygiene, which has been a challenge for the nuns, is slowly changing with increased awareness and advocacy around the subject, once considered taboo.
Phub Gyem
