A new partnership to raise awareness of the damage disposing of period products irresponsibly does to our water systems has been launched by United Utilities and Bodyform.

United Utilities, the water provider for the North West and period product manufacturer, Bodyform, have joined forces on the ‘Stop the Block. Period.’ campaign to tackle the environmental and infrastructure challenges posed by the improper disposal of period products.

Every year, millions of period products are wrongly flushed down toilets, causing blockages in pipes, drains and the sewer network.

Blockages can lead to spills in rivers and the sea, which impact marine life.

United Utilities' head of brand, Jim Spencer, said: "As a water company, we regularly see the effect that improper disposal of period products can have on our infrastructure and the environment.

“Flushing period products, and other items like wet wipes and cotton buds, cause blockages in the sewers and this can lead to flooding in homes or streets or littering in rivers.

“We are really pleased to be working alongside Bodyform to educate the public about the need to bin, not flush, period products to help keep our wastewater systems flowing smoothly.

“With population growth and changing weather patterns we see major disruption when anything other than the three Ps (that’s pee, poo and paper) is flushed.”

Bodyform is one of the largest period care brands in the UK and is committed to sustainable practices.

Its Roll.Press.Go packaging, which makes it easy to wrap up used pads and put them in the bin, helps form the habit of binning, not flushing, used period products.

Gareth Lucy, communications director at Essity, the parent company of Bodyform, said: "We are proud to partner with United Utilities in this important initiative.

“Responsible disposal of period products is not only crucial for the environment, but it also plays a significant role in protecting our drainage network. We are committed to making a positive change in this regard."

The team at United Utilities will now be taking the campaign on the road to shopping centres, schools, and universities to spread the message that period products need to be binned not flushed.

This isn’t the first time United Utilities has shone a light on the issue, after providing period products to employees through social enterprise Hey Girls, and alongside information about proper disposal.