A women-focused non-governmental organisation, The She Mission Initiatives, has petitioned the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to audit and test disposable sanitary pads sold in Nigeria, citing a 2024 study that reported the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in popular brands.
The organisation, in a joint administrative petition dated September 28, this year, urged the three regulators to conduct post-market audit and lab tests of sanitary pads manufactured at home and abroad.
The petition was based on 2024 research published in the Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, titled: ‘Risk Assessment of Volatile Organic Compounds in Disposable Sanitary Pads in Nigeria.’
Executive Director of The She Mission Initiatives, Pearllie Orji, said the organisation had placed the agencies on notice over the concerns raised by the report.
According to the organisation, the study, conducted by researchers from the Faculty of Sciences of the Nigerian Defence Academy, in collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force Academy, examined 65 samples of disposable sanitary pads from popular brands.
The organisation said the study identified up to 34 VOCs, with about 17 specific VOCs confirmed across 16 major brands.
It further stated that the researchers detected compounds, including 1,2-dichloropropane, which it said had been associated with carcinogenic or toxic classifications under high-exposure models.
The NGO said the reported findings raised concerns about possible skin irritation, hormonal disruption and other long-term health implications, particularly because sanitary pads are designed for direct and prolonged contact with the skin around the vulva.
However, the organisation’s petition also acknowledged that the reported findings require verification by the relevant regulatory authorities.
It consequently called on NAFDAC, SON and FCCPC to independently investigate the study through nationwide sampling and laboratory analysis before taking regulatory action against any product found to be non-compliant.
The organisation specifically demanded that the agencies conduct immediate market sampling and testing of all major local and imported sanitary pad brands being sold in Nigeria.
It also requested that the regulators publish detailed information on the current safety limits applicable to chemical substances in sanitary pads and provide public reassurance on the safety of menstrual hygiene products available in the country.
The group further asked the agencies to suspend, recall, and confiscate any sanitary pad brand found, after regulatory testing, to exceed applicable international safety thresholds for toxic chemical residues.
Another demand was mandatory laboratory screening for VOCs, phthalates, and heavy metals as a prerequisite for registering and clearing menstrual hygiene products.
In separate Freedom of Information (FOI) requests served on NAFDAC and SON, the organisation also sought access to regulatory and laboratory records concerning sanitary pads.
Its FOI request to NAFDAC sought certified copies of the agency’s current regulatory framework, maximum residue limits or acceptable safety thresholds for VOCs, phthalates, dioxins and heavy metals in disposable sanitary pads.
The organisation also requested copies of NAFDAC’s post-market surveillance reports, laboratory safety audits and quality-testing records for registered sanitary pad brands from January 2024 to date.
It further asked the agency to provide a list of all sanitary pad brands currently holding valid NAFDAC registration numbers in Nigeria.
Similarly, the FOI request to SON sought certified copies of the current Nigerian Industrial Standards applicable to sanitary pads and the approved maximum permissible limits for chemical residues and heavy metals in absorbent hygiene products.
The organisation also requested SON’s conformity assessment reports, including MANCAP records for locally manufactured products and SONCAP documentation for imported sanitary pads.
The group invoked Sections 1, 2 and 4 of the FOI Act 2011, asking the agencies to provide the requested information within seven working days of receiving the demands.
It said that where any information was refused, the relevant agency should provide written reasons and the legal justification for such refusal as required by the FOI Act.
The organisation said the petitions were intended to compel the regulatory authorities to independently verify the claims contained in the 2024 study and establish whether sanitary pads currently circulating in the Nigerian market comply with applicable safety standards.
Orji said menstrual hygiene products were basic necessities rather than luxuries and argued that women and girls were entitled to transparency concerning the safety of products they use regularly.
She called on the agencies to carry out their statutory responsibilities by verifying the study’s findings, conducting laboratory audits and removing any products subsequently established to be non-compliant.
The organisation said its action was also intended to ensure that consumers were provided with adequate information about the chemical safety standards applicable to menstrual hygiene products in Nigeria.
The petitioners cited provisions of the NAFDAC Act, SON Act 2015 and FCCPC Act 2018 as imposing responsibilities on the respective agencies to regulate product safety, enforce standards and protect consumers from hazardous or substandard goods.
The organisation’s action now puts the three regulatory bodies in a position to respond to the concerns raised by the study and disclose the extent of their existing surveillance and testing of sanitary pads in the Nigerian market.