Sustainacup

A reusable menstrual cup program offered free to students. Complete a request form to receive yours through the campus mail. This program is provided in collaboration with The HAMRE Center and Sustainability Office.

A Brief History

Macalester College launched a free tampons and pads program in during the 2018-19 school year as a result of a Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) led initiative. Currently, Facilities Services maintains the tampons and pads machines and budget. The Campus Center and the Library have free products while all other buildings continue to have paid dispensers. In 2018-19, they purchased 8250 tampons and pads for $1106. This budget number is unlikely to change substantially. 

In addition, Macalester Activists for Reproductive Justice has held a menstrual health student panel which hands out free menstrual supplies for the past few years. MCSG has held similar events as well. These events consistently hand out as many reusable pads and tampons as are made available. In talking with students on campus, many female bodied individuals had already accessed menstrual cups prior to the launch of SustainaCup in October 2019.

Why It Matters?

• Economics: The average menstruating person spends $60 a
  year on period products.
• Social Justice: Menstrual cups are a discrete solution for gender
  non-conforming people to manage their periods.
• WellBeing: Tampons contain harmful chemicals known to
  cause conditions such as Toxic Shock Syndrome –
  menstrual cups eliminate this risk.
• Environment: Macalester alone in past years has discarded around 350,000
  tampons/pads a year, which don’t biodegrade and often pollute our lakes and oceans.