Page 34 - MHM Report-2023

The Matka Incinerator:

A unique, cost-effective disposal method

for used pads

nnovative mud pot incinerators, popularised by benefits of the safe disposal of used sanitary pads
the Tata Water Mission team*, ensure easy and through a mud pot incinerator.
Ihygienic disposal of used sanitary pads in the In Survani village in Dhadgaon block of
villages of Jharkhand and Maharashtra. Maharashtra’s Nandurbar district, a mother-
Forty-year-old Dhaneshwari’s family has in-law and daughter-in-law duo emerged as the
six members — including two daughters of frontrunners in the use of matka incinerators.
menstruating age, a son, and her husband. Thirty-two-year-old Pramila Balwant Padvi works
She and her husband are actively involved in as an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA
all the programmes conducted by Collectives worker), and is constantly on the lookout to learn
for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CInI, an new things with the support of her mother-in-
associate organisation of Tata Trusts) since 2015. law. In fact, the older woman came forward with
She was one of the early adopters of a matka (mud an old pot when none of the other villagers were
pot) incinerator in her premises. willing to provide one for the incinerator. Pramila
In 2019, the MHM programme was initiated was the only one to use it initially, but two of her
in Dhaneshwari’s village, Kajri, with self-help friends, Jayashree and Vaishali, joined in later.
group members. During the training sessions, The installation of the matka incinerator
there were discussions regarding the methods of brought small, yet significant changes in
safe disposal of used sanitary pads. The matka Dhaneshwari’s and Pramila’s families and
incinerator was one of the methods advocated. Not surrounding communities. “One of my daughters
many women welcomed the idea of installing one suffers from severe physical discomfort during
in their backyards, but Dhaneshwari volunteered her menstrual periods. When I came to know
to do it. Her daughters used sanitary napkins about the matka incinerator, I got one installed
during their periods and were disposing of their at my house. Now both my daughters use it
used pads by burying them in the soft, muddy to dispose of their pads. They are aware of the
ground near their hand pump. However, they importance of menstrual hygiene management,”
did not like this disposal process because during says Dhaneshwari.
summers, the used pads were exposed and were The innovative mud pot incinerator is slowly,
seen by everyone, including men, and caused them but surely, finding acceptance and momentum
much embarrassment. Additionally, burying them among rural and tribal communities. Along
near the hand pump caused a health hazard. The the way, it is helping community members in
MHM training enlightened Dhaneshwari about the destigmatising and normalising periods.

* Tata Trusts is committed to promote cost-effective and alternate technological solutions that can be easily
managed by the local communities. Trusts aims to facilitate in identifying suitable solutions by the communities
for their requirement, which are locally available.

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