Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Vagifem - plastic waste!

(16 Posts)
Nannymags27 Sat 06-Apr-19 15:37:44

This isn’t a health question but a comment about the horrendous amount of plastic waste being on Vagifem produces. Do the applicators go in the normal plastic recycling? Makes you wonder why the company can’t produce a reusable applicator. Anyone got any thoughts on this?

kittylester Sat 06-Apr-19 15:40:26

Someone on here suggested using them to label plants. I really hadn't thought about it. I throw mine away in general waste.

Floradora9 Sat 06-Apr-19 16:25:48

OIh Kittylester you made me laugh thinking of using them as plant labels . Mine just go in the bin never thought of recycling them too afraid the bin men would bring them to my door to complain they were in the wrong bin.

Coolgran65 Sat 06-Apr-19 16:50:31

I put them into general waste.
Using them as plant labels sounds good smile

ninathenana Sat 06-Apr-19 16:54:19

Off to Google Vagifem smileblush

dragonfly46 Sat 06-Apr-19 16:54:58

Slightly off topic but I wear daily contact lenses and I can now take the lenses and the packaging back to the optician for recycling.

PamelaJ1 Sat 06-Apr-19 17:11:31

I stopped using them.

kittylester Sat 06-Apr-19 17:20:41

nina, be grateful you have to Google it!! grin

SynchroSwimmer Sat 06-Apr-19 17:21:31

Ahh, something I have long found annoying too.

I have just been on to the manufacturers website (NovoNordisk) to try and log this as a patient query - to ask them to consider plastic waste, maybe change packaging to say 1 applicator per 8 pessaries, (or whatever is appropriate) to reduce the plastic waste.

Having spent a while typing it all out, it may be that their page won’t now actually “submit” though ...?

Nannymags27 Sat 06-Apr-19 17:28:30

Good idea SynchroSwimmer. I may try that myself.

dahlia Sat 06-Apr-19 20:00:59

Saw an item on Facebook, asking us to wash out used mascara brushes and send to a hedgehog sanctuary, where they would be used cleaning said hedgehogs. smile

twhitby Wed 23-Dec-20 19:17:35

I know this is a bit late, but just found out that they are recyclable... twitter.com/novonordisk/status/1127660841002852354

Fennel Wed 23-Dec-20 20:15:55

very good news,twhitby - I'll remember that.
I'll still worry that we might not be able to get vagifem, made in Norway, after Brexit.
It's a blessing for me and many other women.

Aspand1 Mon 05-Oct-26 13:25:56

Still trying to responsibly recycle Vagifem applicators. Why do Novo--- get away with not taking responsibility for their product? Now on to council about medical waste. But I think the thing will be for an enterprising feminist artist to turn them into works of art/ games. Perhaps spillikins?? They make a lovely fan shape too.

Sago Mon 05-Oct-26 13:41:24

I think these applicators are the tip of the iceberg.
I wouldn’t worry, just recycle them.
I reuse all my freezer bags, I only buy washing powder in cardboard, we don’t buy plastic water bottles and we recycle all we can so a plastic applicator isn’t too much of a problem.

LucyAnna5 Mon 05-Oct-26 13:53:30

Ask for Vagirux instead. Exactly the same product, but one applicator to re-use for 24 tablets.