Ella Daish is a British environmental activist campaigning to persuade retailers and manufacturers to remove plastic from menstrual products. [1] In February 2018, whilst working as a postal worker, she started the End Period Plastic campaign. [2] [3] [4] She went on to become a full-time activist. [5] The BBC put Daish on its 100 Women of 2019 annual list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world. [6]
"Period products are the fifth most common item found on Europe's beaches" and "200,000 tonnes of [such] material is believed to end up in UK landfill every year." [1] [3] Around 90% of a menstrual pad is plastic. [5] [3]
In December 2018 Daish launched the Eco Period Box campaign to address period poverty, donating plastic-free and reusable period products around the UK. [7] In 2019 she helped persuade Caerphilly County Borough Council to spend all of its grant money for providing free menstrual products to schools, on eco-friendly products. Councils had been asked to spend only 10% of the money on reusables. [8]