On Monday 13th January we welcomed Activist and Campaigner Ella Daish as our first speaker in our 2020 Women of Influence Lecture Series.

Ella campaigns to end period plastic, persuading companies and governments to remove plastics from women’s sanitary products. Ella told us that these are the fifth most common items found on Europe’s beaches, more widespread than single-use coffee cups, cutlery or straws. She informed us that an estimated 2.5 million tampons, 1.4 million sanitary towels and 700,000 panty liners are flushed down the toilet every day in the UK. Conventional period products contain up to 90% plastic and are continuously manufactured, used for between 4-8 hours, disposed of and then take over 500 years to break down. Ella encouraged us to continue the conversation with our families and friends; as well as reminding us that it is the discussion of these topics that can bring about change.

To learn more about Ella’s campaign and to sign her petition, click here.