Hospeco, a leader in the manufacture and sale of vended feminine hygiene products, and The Scensible Source Co., a pioneer in the development of innovative products for the safe and hygienic disposal of pads and tampons, have joined forces to provide the most complete feminine hygiene solution for the away-from-home market. Through this partnership, Hospeco has gained exclusive commercial distribution rights to The Scensible Source’s product line. The agreement was signed in September and became effective immediately.

The timing of the announcement coincides with a movement in the feminine hygiene category designed to reduce the stigma associated with women’s menstruation needs when away from home by simply employing more candid conversations about the topic. Hospeco — along with celebrities, politicians, and the public alike — advocates universal access to feminine hygiene products combined with discreet, safe, sanitary, and sustainable disposal. Campaigns are collectivized under #ProvideFemHy.

The Scensible Source’s products include Scensibles personal disposable bags and specially designed bags to properly line feminine waste receptacles, which will help maintain clean restroom standards. Scensibles are patented single-use pink-on-pink patterned plastic bags dispensed within the stall. The bags feature a fresh scent to mask odors and an easy-tie closure to completely conceal contents. Once the feminine hygiene products are safely and completely confined, the Scensibles bags are placed in a stall-mounted waste receptacle complete with a customized poly liner. The company’s leak-proof plastic SecureFit360 liners are a superior solution to traditional waxed kraft liners and are designed to reduce janitorial staff’s risk of exposure to the receptacle’s contents.

Facility owners can now offer the convenience of personal care products in the ladies’ restroom while also providing proper and sanitary disposal. Use of this disposal system minimizes exposure to possible blood-borne pathogens and harmful germs; reduces unpleasant odors; keeps waste out of view; and provides an easy alternative to flushing products, especially tampons, down the toilet. The Scensibles dispenser clearly communicates the message, “Do not flush.”

“It was especially exciting to partner with Ann, who has advocated for women’s health and bathroom cleanliness with the same passion Hospeco has for years,” explains Bill Hemann, Hospeco’s vice president of sales and marketing, giving a nod to The Sensible Source Co.’s president, Ann Germanow. “Combined, we now offer the complete feminine hygiene solution for the public restroom — from product through to safe and hygienic disposal.”

Hemann said their efforts aren’t simply an issue of bathroom equality and mutual consideration; it is also a health issue. “As it relates to advocating for women’s health — and the health and well-being of janitorial staff — the Scensibles system clearly improves our position by giving us a complete solution,” explains Hemann, “and there is the practical benefit of educating against flushing any of these products to help eliminate expensive plumbing repair costs.”

Germanow founded The Scensible Source Company on the simple recognition that the disposal of feminine care products in stall-mounted bins is unsightly, unhealthy, and unsafe — with studies showing these bins as the single most germ-infested surface in a ladies’ restroom. Additionally, a common disposal practice is flushing products down the toilet, which can mean expensive plumbing repairs and damage to sewer and septic systems, and is also a source of pollution.

Hospeco has aligned with women’s health groups and grassroots organizations to advocate for universal access to feminine hygiene products in public restrooms. Acquiring the rights to distribute Scensibles bolsters their dedication to providing products designed to address women’s health needs.