Aunt Flow, the creator of proprietary, free-vend tampon and pad dispensers, announces the launch of its new sanitary disposal system. This complete system will improve the public restroom experience by providing easy and safe disposal of sanitary and incontinence products, solving pain points for menstruators as well as facility operators and staff.

Inadequate disposal infrastructure in restrooms often means no designated bins for sanitary products. As a result, used tampons and pads end up in the regular trash, causing unpleasant odors and bacterial exposure. If bathrooms have a designated bin, it typically has a swinging door that users must push open and is often overflowing with used tampons and pads from previous users creating potential exposure to biohazardous waste for users and janitorial staff. It’s no wonder 30% of menstruators say they’d rather flush their used period products in public restrooms.

With Aunt Flow’s new disposal system, the combination of easily accessible plant-based disposal bags and designated touch-free bins promotes responsible disposal and increases hygiene for janitors and restroom users alike. The touch-free bins open when a hand is waved above the sensor, and inside the unit, there is a continuous liner bag that ensures janitors don’t come into direct contact with any contaminants once the waste is deposited. The system also helps reduce environmental harm by keeping menstrual product waste out of rivers and oceans through proper disposal.

“Hygienic, responsible disposal of period products goes a long way in deterring facility plumbing nightmares as well as creating a safer environment for janitorial staff and bathroom guests by reducing exposure to blood-borne pathogens,” shares Claire Coder, founder and chief estrogen officer at Aunt Flow. “As a company built by menstruators, we know how unsanitary and problematic traditional period product disposal ‘systems’ are for everyone involved, and we are committed to providing a real solution, one stall at a time.”

Aunt Flow, now backed by investors like Sophia Bush and JLL Spark Ventures, was founded by Coder when she was just 18 years old as a reaction to her experience of getting her period unexpectedly in public without the supplies she needed. It became Coder’s mission to develop a solution to ensure organizations can sustainably provide quality period products, a bathroom essential, for free in public bathrooms—no different than toilet paper or paper towels.