Do period pads and tampons expire?

Some do, and some don’t. It is the maker’s call. In Canada, tampons and menstrual cups are medical devices. So if the maker sets an expiry date, the law says it goes on the label. Period pads are not medical devices in Canada, according to a federal employment page, though some makers print a date anyway. For reusables, makers give their own replacement advice. This Column is for anyone who has periods and keeps a box in reserve.

What the law says about the date

Canada’s Medical Devices Regulations say a device’s label must show “the expiry date of the device, if the device has one, to be determined by the manufacturer on the basis of the component that has the shortest projected useful life”.

Two words carry the rule: “if” and “manufacturer”. The Regulations do not set a shelf life. For a tampon or cup, the maker decides whether there is one, and sets it.

Health Canada’s labelling guidance adds how: the date “must be based on the results of studies which demonstrate that the device will perform as intended and will meet its specifications until that date”.

Where to look on the box

Look for a date written year, month, day, such as 2029-03-15. For tampon and cup labels, Health Canada’s guidance says the date should be written that way. It is a “should”, so you may see other formats.

Look, too, for storage instructions. The regulation asks the label to state “any special storage conditions applicable to the device”.

Storage

One UK maker says to store its products “in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or high humidity”.

Industry testing guidelines tell laboratories to keep products away from too much or too little heat and humidity before testing, and “in their original packaging due to the risk of contamination or altering the performance”. That is written for laboratories, not homes.

For a reusable disc, one Canadian maker says to store it clean and “completely dry”, in its cotton pouch, “away from humidity and scented products”, and “Never… in an air tight container”.

Format by format

Replacement numbers come from makers, not regulators. In the US, the FDA’s draft guidance recommends that makers keep documentation for any “useable life” they state for period pads or cups.

Disposable period pads & liners. A federal employment page says: “Menstrual pads aren’t medical devices or regulated in Canada”. So the device expiry rule does not apply to them. The Editor found no Canadian rule that sets an expiry date for period pads. One UK maker gives its period pads and liners “an expiry date of three years”, printed on the packaging.

Tampons. Tampons are medical devices in Canada, so the expiry rule applies: a date appears if the maker sets one. The same UK maker gives its tampons a three-year expiry date. Health Canada’s labelling guidance says tampon labels carry a statement about toxic shock syndrome (TSS), in English and French. Read it, whatever the date.

Cups. Menstrual cups are medical devices in Canada, so the same rule applies. One Canadian maker’s instructions say: “We recommend that you replace your [cup] annually”.

Discs. Health Canada has licensed menstrual discs, reusable and single-use, as Class II medical devices, so the same rule applies: a date appears if the maker sets one. The label says whether a disc is single-use or reusable.

Period underwear. Many makers give no figure. One US maker says to replace its pairs “at 30 washes”. The washing Column covers the rest.

Reusable period pads. Federal guidance says most reusable period pads and period underwear last longer when washed in cool water and allowed to air dry. The Editor found no replacement figure for reusable period pads.

Comfort & care. Outside this Column. Check each item’s own label.

When not to use a product

One Canadian maker’s instructions list when to stop using its cup at once: “if you notice a sticky or powdery film on the surface of the cup, a foul odor from the cup, if it accidentally falls in the toilet, or you used it while you had a yeast or bacterial infection”.

For disposable period pads and tampons, the sources the Editor found speak about storage: one maker’s advice, and industry guidance for laboratories.

If a wrapper is torn, or a product is damp or looks different from usual, check the maker’s instructions or contact the maker before using it.

Whether to use a product after its date is not a question this Column can answer. On a tampon or cup label, the date marks how long the maker’s studies support the product performing as intended. Your label and your maker are the sources.

Checking recalls

The Government of Canada’s Recalls and safety alerts site lists product recalls, including a 2020 notice about an unlicensed reusable menstrual cup. It also has a “Report an incident” form for health and safety concerns about any product.

What this is not

This Column reports the rules and the makers’ own words. It did not test any product or compare brands. It does not say whether a product past its date is safe or unsafe, and it does not link expiry dates to any health outcome.

Next in the Reading Room: “How to wash period underwear, any brand.”