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There may be an explanation to Merrill’s question. According to a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tampon manufacturers may have been unaware of chemical exposure in the raw materials. The cotton may have absorbed the metals through water, air, soil, pesticides or a nearby contaminant. Additionally, some metals might have been intentionally added during manufacturing to not only whiten their product but to act as an antibacterial agent.

While the variables are endless, manufacturers “can no longer use this as an excuse,� Merrill said.

“They have the means and they have the responsibility to routinely check their raw materials … failing to do so starts to put the fault on them,� she added.

According to the University of Texas at Austin, many people have a misconception that organic tampons are generally safer to use than nonorganic ones. When it comes to toxic metals, the new study shows that while lead concentrations were higher in the nonorganic tampons, arsenic concentrations were higher in the organic tampons.

According to the study, the nonorganic tampons had a whopping 24 times more lead than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved amount for bottled water. This high concentration of chemicals is concerning to tampon users as the skin of the vagina has a higher potential for chemical absorption compared to the rest of the body, according to University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.

Furthermore, metals like lead and arsenic have been linked to an increase of dementia, infertility, diabetes and cancer, and could expose tampon users to potential damage in the endocrine system, responsible for producing hormones.

However, in September the Food and Drug Administration announced it would be addressing these concerns by launching its own investigation. Because the original study did not test for the releasing and absorbing of metals into the vaginal lining, the FDA plans to evaluate this in an independent review.

Like Merrill, some consumers are calling for more accountability from tampon brands.

“I believe it’s extremely important that tampon brands are transparent about their ingredients in their products,â€� says Sophia Buchan, a junior at ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe High School.

Buchan said she believes potential harmful chemicals and metals of each tampon brand should be made known to the consumer through public statements and packaging labels, especially as more research is conducted and disclosed to the public.

The researchers with Environment International are concealing the names of the 14 tampon brands. This raises the question: Will these tampon brands be transparent and disclose what’s in their products?

The current policy under the FDA classifies tampons as “medical devices,� meaning manufacturers are not required to disclose their ingredients.

Similarly, there is no mandate that tampons be tested for chemical substances or even be made without them, according to the Food and Drug Administration’s 2005 tampon guidance.

Buchan said she believes the brands are in hiding to continue to make money.

“I don’t believe their intent is to harm the consumer by being dishonest,� she said. “But instead continue to make money by having the consumer believe the product is harmless.�

As far as the study shows, there is no reason for consumers to stop using tampons — “the research wasn’t designed to answer that question,� an article from Time magazine reported.

The article points out the research conditions didn’t mimic the environment inside the vagina, only using heat and acid to test for presence of metals. The lead author of the study, postdoctoral scholar at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Jenni Shearston, said the goal of the experiment was to dissolve tampon samples to reveal what is inside of them, not mimic real-life conditions.

As tampon consumers might be rethinking their choices, Free Flow New Mexico is still aiming to make every menstrual product available — tampons included. Its free products are distributed to individuals and organizations, and through distribution days at different locations around New Mexico. It also offers supplies through its period pods; similar to a little free library, each pod — found in various locations around ·è¿ÍÖ±²¥ Fe — is filled with free period products. Free Flow New Mexico does offer reusable period products such as period cups, period underwear and reusable pads. Because the period cups are made of silicone, the use of them lowers risk of potential metal absorption.

However, “It’s not necessarily a cure-all for the issue,� Merrill said.

Merrill added that those who use reusable menstrual products also need access to restrooms, and many people who depend on places like Free Flow New Mexico do not have access to washrooms. Many workplaces and schools do not have a private washroom, making it harder to utilize reusable products. Additionally, many people feel uncomfortable inserting and using reusable products, and they have a more expensive initial price compared to disposable pads and tampons, according to the Harvard Medical School. These factors often make disposable items a much easier option.

Merrill said while the organization respects the informed choices those who menstruate make, it is not Free Flow New Mexico’s place to make choices for others by removing tampons from its resources.

“It is not our decision to make,� Merrill said. “We will continue to provide a choice of products while emerging research is as needed.�