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Project created by Nigerian student transforms agricultural waste into biodegradable pads and enters the international radar by connecting science, menstrual health, material reuse, and plastic waste reduction.
The Nigerian student Raheema Auwal-Panti, aged 15, developed a project of biodegradable pads made from agricultural waste, such as cassava peels, banana leaves, and corn straw.
Named PantiPads, the initiative seeks to reduce the use of plastic materials in menstrual products and expand access to pads in communities where cost is still a barrier.
The project gained international visibility by being selected among the 35 student works highlighted by The Earth Prize 2026, a competition focused on environmental solutions created by young people aged 13 to 19.
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The award is organized by the Earth Foundation, an entity based in Geneva, Switzerland, and brings together initiatives from different regions of the world.
The proposal combines biomass reuse, material science, and menstrual health.
Instead of relying solely on synthetic components common in conventional disposable pads, PantiPads uses plant-based raw materials that, according to the initiative itself, can decompose more easily in the environment.
The project is still in the development phase and there is no public record of large-scale production.
Agricultural waste enters the debate on biodegradable pads
Raheema lives in Minna, the capital of Niger State, in northern Nigeria.
The region is in a country where agriculture plays a significant role in the economy, and cassava is among the widely produced and consumed crops.
The processing of this food generates leftovers, especially peels, which require proper management after use.
According to information released about the project, the student began to observe materials available in her community and investigate ways to reuse them.
Cassava peels, banana leaves, and corn straw, usually discarded after harvest or food preparation, were incorporated into the proposal as a base for an intimate hygiene product.
The initiative approaches a research area that seeks to replace, when technically possible, petroleum-derived materials with plant-based alternatives.
In the case of sanitary pads, the application requires safety control, absorption capacity, comfort, and suitability for contact with the body.
For this reason, the recognition received by PantiPads does not equate to a sanitary or commercial certification of the product.
Menstrual poverty affects health, routine, and education
Besides the environmental issue, the project addresses menstrual poverty, a term used to describe the lack of access to menstrual products, information, sanitation, and suitable places for hygiene.
According to UNICEF, millions of girls, women, trans men, and non-binary people cannot manage their menstrual cycle in a dignified and healthy way every month.
The difficulty can affect school attendance, participation in daily activities, and well-being.
The World Bank estimates that about 500 million people do not have adequate access to menstrual products and appropriate facilities for menstrual hygiene management.
This data is used by international organizations to gauge an issue linked to public health, education, and gender inequality.
In this context, lower-cost pads made with local raw materials can enter the debate on access alternatives.
However, viability depends on testing, regulation, production scale, and distribution.
So far, the available information indicates that PantiPads remains a solution in development.
Plastic waste in disposable menstrual products
Conventional disposable pads may contain plastic layers, adhesives, and other slow-degrading components.
Environmental organizations and studies on solid waste indicate that menstrual products improperly disposed of contribute to the volume of plastic waste, especially in places without efficient collection or adequate treatment.
Raheema’s proposal involves a partial substitution of raw materials.
By using agricultural waste, PantiPads aims to reduce the presence of synthetic materials and give a destination to plant leftovers.
Even so, there is not enough public data on decomposition time, performance compared to conventional products, or environmental impacts measured by independent analysis.
In the case of cassava, reuse has additional relevance because the crop is present in different production chains in Nigeria and other African countries.
The use of peels in a menstrual hygiene product transforms a common waste into input, but this application still depends on technical validation to advance beyond the initial stage.
The Earth Prize 2026 placed PantiPads in a global showcase
PantiPads made it to the list of 35 projects recognized by The Earth Prize 2026.
The competition presents the selected as “Scholars” and offers visibility, guidance, and educational resources to young people developing solutions related to the environment.
In the 2026 edition, the works were divided by regions and included proposals on waste, water, emissions, conservation, and material reuse.
Raheema’s selection placed the Nigerian project in an international showcase aimed at students trying to address environmental issues based on their local realities.
In a press release about the award, the Earth Foundation stated that the selected projects bring together young people with proposals to tackle environmental challenges.
The organization also reported that the edition received varied solutions, including ocean cleaning technologies, water capture systems, and alternatives for waste reduction.
Large-scale production still depends on validation
Public information about PantiPads indicates that the initiative is not currently focused on the immediate construction of its own factory.
The strategy described in reports about the project involves approaching already established producers, learning about manufacturing processes, and seeking partnerships.
This path is necessary because menstrual pads need to meet quality, hygiene, and safety criteria before reaching the public on a large scale.
It is also necessary to define cost, supply of raw materials, product standardization, and distribution conditions in communities where access is limited.
The proposal also includes awareness actions about menstrual health and sustainable consumption.
At this point, the project relates the use of biodegradable pads to the debate on information, disposal, and reducing the stigma around menstruation, a topic still treated as taboo in different social contexts.
Science, cost, and access in the same project
Raheema Auwal-Panti’s journey shows how student initiatives can start from local problems to propose solutions with broader reach.
PantiPads combines agricultural waste available in the region, concern with plastic waste, and an attempt to expand access to menstrual products.
However, there is not enough public information to state that the product is already manufactured on a large scale, has sanitary certifications, or has a defined final cost.
No independent data was found on technical performance, safety of use, and complete environmental comparison with conventional pads either.
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