Feminine Care Disposal Bags - convention

MaintenanceSuppliesMag.com |
Feminine Care Disposal Bags
Public Women's Restrooms Across the Country Reduce Costly Toilet Clogs and Cross
Contamination with Scensibles Bags
Specially designed single-use bags for the disposal of feminine care products are the
solution
Installation of Scensibles-personal-size plastic bags for the hygienic disposal of feminine care
products including sanitary pads, tampons and panty liners-is making a critical difference in the
number of plumbing maintenance issues and costly repairs in women's restrooms across the
country, while providing a practical and hygienic solution to a significant health concern.
Leading adopters of this sensible solution that will enhance their facilities while saving costs
include the Washington State Ferry System, a recognized industry leading 71-store regional
supermarket chain, Servicemaster Northwest, Strong National Museum of Play, the Association
for the United States Army in Washington, DC, and prominent property management companies
all over the United States. In addition, the San Diego Zoo has purchased Scensibles products for
installation in September.
Scensibles plastic bags with easy-tie handle closure are proving to be a cost-effective alternative
to the significant maintenance problems caused by patrons flushing their feminine hygiene
products down toilets. At the same time, Scensibles are improving the unsightly, germcontaminated
condition of restroom sanitary napkin disposal units. The resulting clean and
convenient disposal method is being installed in buildings across the country, including office,
educational, retail, recreational, lodging, government, manufacturing, entertainment and medical
facilities.
Scensibles, created by The Scensible Source Company, LLC, are pink plastic bags imprinted
with a contemporary floral pattern. The single-use, biodegradable bags are made of 1 mil thick,
high-density poly embedded with a fresh fragrance and antimicrobial agents that inhibit the
growth of odor-causing bacteria. The bags are dispensed in attractive, easily refillable, durable
plastic white or satin chrome dispensers, or a combination dispenser/receptacle unit. These units
can be mounted to the wall or partition in any size restroom. The bags are made to hold standard
size feminine hygiene products.
"We're providing an innovative yet simple solution to a problem no one talks about," said Ann
Germanow, president of The Scensible Source Company, LLC, and inventor of Scensibles bags.
"More and more facilities post ‘do not flush' notices in their restrooms, yet they offer no
acceptable alternative for the disposal of feminine care products. There is nothing more offensive

than having to discard products in a visibly dirty sanitary napkin receptacle, overflowing with
smelly, unsightly items. The result is that women ignore the signage and flush anyway! This
leads to unscheduled maintenance calls, time-consuming cleanups, and expensive plumbing
repairs. Scensibles address this problem directly, by providing an easy, clean, safe solution that
restroom users can and do embrace."
Scensibles solves plumbing issues in major office building
When the property manager for the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in
Washington, DC, discovered Scensibles products last year at the National Building Owners and
Managers Association Trade Show, he leaped to order the solution for every women's restroom
in his Arlington, VA, building.
"Plumbing problems, sanitary and cleaning issues, and cleaner rest rooms-it's amazing to find a
product that solves all three," said D. Mark Campbell, Director of Administrative
Services/Property Manager for AUSA. "The day we had Scensibles installed, I immediately
began getting e-mails from women in the building, thanking us for this great solution."
Campbell knew that the disposal of sanitary products by flushing them had caused significant
plumbing issues throughout the building, resulting in thousands of dollars in maintenance bills
every year. "As a property manager, I see feminine hygiene products as a problem with plumbing
and clogs," he said. "Since we installed Scensibles, we have not had a single maintenance issue
related to feminine hygiene products. This has saved us a great deal of money!"
Germs and blood-borne pathogens: The hidden danger
For Ellen White, terminal seller at the Kingston Dock of the Washington State Ferry system,
removing the sanitary napkin receptacles and installing Scensibles bags have made the critical
difference for terminal attendants who have to clean the cramped restrooms on the passenger
ferry boats.
"I like the fact that women can use these bags, dump hygiene items in there, and then toss them
in the regular trash," White said. "It's much better than cleaning staff having to stick their hands
in the containers and pull used products out. Not everyone wraps up their [waste], so bloodborne
pathogens are a problem. Also, [some passengers] would drop needles in the sanitary
napkin receptacles, even though we provide a needle container."
"Customers come to us with all kinds of concerns about sanitation and safety, and Scensibles
address these problems," said Germanow. The danger presented by used sanitary products in
restroom receptacles is very real, she noted. "The fact is that the insides and outsides of stall
sanitary napkin disposal receptacles are the most contaminated spots in women's restrooms," she
said. "And when people touch the soiled lids to open them, it can prove harmful."
Restroom users and custodial workers are exposed daily to potentially harmful germs and blood
borne pathogens with only minimal precautions available to protect them. The US Center for
Disease Control (CDC) reports that touching a germ-laden object is the number one source for

spreading disease. Recent CDC studies suggest that the Hepatitis virus may survive outside the
body for several days, even in dried blood, and still be infectious.
Germanow noted, "Standard precautions for people infected with hepatitis, for example,
recommend that bloodstained material such as tissues, tampons and menstrual pads be placed
into sealable plastic bags and disposed of properly, so no one comes in contact with blood," she
explained. "But in women's restrooms, bloodstained materials are tossed into a receptacle with
no such precautions. There's no way to know if any contact could be dangerous. "It's not
acceptable in this day and age, with resistant bacteria and new infectious diseases, that this
problem be ignored anymore."
The liner bags
The Scensible Source Company has also designed plastic liner bags for various models of
sanitary napkin receptacles. The liner bags are embedded with the same fragrance, biodegradable
additive and antimicrobial agents as the individual Scensibles bags.
"Traditional waxed bags are not effective," Germanow said. "Our bags are specially designed to
provide a better fit and properly line sanitary napkin disposal units. Waxed bags do nothing for
odors - and they do not keep the container germ-free. Quick and easy removal allows cleaning
personnel to avoid reaching into the receptacle and eliminates contact with discarded products."
The company will showcase Scensibles at booth 2830 of the ISSA/Interclean North America
show in Las Vegas, scheduled for September 9-11, 2008.
For more information and to see the full catalog of Scensibles products, call 866 231-7050, write
to Scensiblesource@gmail.com, or visit http://www.scensiblesource.com/.