I’m a savvy mum

A MUM told how she's doing her bit to help the environment - by using recyclable sanitary pads.

Sarah MacRory, 36, was horrified by the amount of products she was sending to landfill, or flushing away every month.

So she did a bit of research and decided to buy cloth sanitary towels that can be washed and used over and over.

The NHS worker, from Aberdeen, revealed she's been using one for at least four years.

Sarah said: "A lot of people think it's absolutely mental, and I get that.

"When I started looking into it I was a bit put off myself for a start. My first thought was ‘gadz’.

"But a single sanitary towel will take something like 300 years to decompose. That's a lot of waste going to landfill and harming the environment."

Sarah decided to get over her initial feeling of disgust and splashed out a recyclable cloth pad that cost her about £6.

They have about five layers to them and she thinks they are roughly the same idea as cloth nappies, or badly soiled clothes.

Sarah said: "The more I learned about it the more I felt like it was a really good idea.

"What's the difference between that and washing clothes that have been stained by something?

"I just use them and then pop them in the wash."

Sarah has been recycling sanitary towels for about five years. She buys in bulk on ebay and gets a pack of eight for about £13.

But she realises there are some aspects of it that may gross others out.

She said: "If I’m out and about I may have to pop a soiled towel in my handbag and take it home with me.

"I can see why people would be pretty freaked out by that and think it's gross. They wouldn't want something like that in their handbag for the rest of the day. But it's completely normal to me now."

Sarah gives help and advice to mums on TikTok under the name Half Assed Hippie Mama.

She offers tips on issues including breastfeeding, but gets vile abuse from sick trolls.

We told how she was accused of abusing her kids because she still breastfeeds her daughter who's three.

And her recommendations on recycling sanitary towels have so far not been a smash hit.

She said: "I don't know anyone else who does it. I’m a bit of a lone ranger on this one.

"But I’m saving a fortune and I feel like I’m doing my bit for the environment. It makes me feel good to be doing something."