Some people are concerned about dioxins in these tampons because rayon is made from cellulose fibers derived from wood pulp and then bleached. When the wood pulp is bleached, it can lead to the presence of such dioxins in the materials. These dioxins can cause cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This was the main bleaching method used until the late 1980s. These methods don't produce dioxins, according to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
Some activist groups say tampons are harmful to a woman's health.
Tampax tampons use a blend of cotton and rayon. Although many say cotton is safer than rayon, experts and the Center for Disease Control have conducted studies and concluded cotton and rayon are equally safe. It holds more fluid with less material, making them more comfortable. Groups such as the Student Environmental Action Dioxin Free Tampon Campaign say bleach-free and 100 percent cotton tampons are safer alternatives. According to SEAC literature, bleaching does not make tampons sterile.