A box of “August” products on display in the lobby of Siebert Hall on Monday. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
The Undergraduate Student Government is partnering with August, a menstrual care company, and launched a pilot program where students can access free, eco-friendly menstrual products in Siebert Hall.
Created by the sustainability committee of USG, the program aims to place sustainable and comfortable products in residence halls. The pilot program runs from April 10 to May 8 and students are encouraged to fill out a form after using the products to give feedback.
Emma Hart, a co-director of the USG sustainability committee and a fourth-year in environmental policy, said that USG wanted to find a better alternative to the products already given throughout campus.
“We really wanted a product that didn’t have any harmful dyes or any fragrant fragrances,” Hart said.
Hart said the committee began researching sustainable menstrual products last year, looking for options that had high health standards. She referenced a 2024 article from The New York Times reporting on a study that found traces of potentially harmful chemicals in tampons, including arsenic and mercury.
It is unclear whether the products currently provided by the university contain those substances.
Hart said they also wanted a brand that has a positive impact on the environment. She said that August has helped them achieve that goal.
“Most companies right now are kind of like abandoning all their climate goals, so it’s really great to see a brand that’s still on track and making progress,” Hart said.
Miles Meisse, a co-director of the USG sustainability committee and a third-year in finance, said early reactions to the program have been positive.
“We’ve had multiple people be like, ‘Oh, this is such a cool idea,’” Meisse said. “But now we’re at the point we’re like, how can we push it more?”
If the pilot program continues to go well, Meisse said that they will work to expand access to these products around campus.?
“The goal is first to see the reaction from students on this first, and to see how many products are being used,” Meisse said. “From there it’s like, how can we implement this on a large scale capacity while slowly phasing out different products that are currently used.”
Hart explained Siebert Hall was chosen by facilities in order to test the product with a reasonable sample size.
“I think it’s a good spot because it is a pretty big dorm,” Hart said. “Its just a lot of opportunity for more students to be using the product and to gather feedback.”
Meisse emphasized that the initiative is to center students’ needs.
“Our point is to be students serving students,” Meisse said. “This is something we’re doing for them to help them. If they want to see change across campus, it starts with them.”
