The Stewardship Program for Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPs)
A Commitment to Safety in Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPs)
For the U.S. absorbent hygiene industry, safety is not optional—it’s fundamental. Diapers, menstrual products, and adult incontinence products support the health, dignity, and active lives of millions of Americans, from infancy through senior years. These products have a long record of safe use worldwide, and our industry is committed to building on that foundation by continually raising the bar.
As public attention grows around trace chemicals and their potential risks, we see this not as a challenge but as an opportunity to demonstrate leadership. While the U.S. does not currently have federal regulations setting limits for trace chemicals in absorbent hygiene products, our commitment to consumer well-being goes beyond compliance. Acting proactively, transparently, and guided by science ensures that product safety remains paramount, strengthens public confidence, and reflects the responsibility we share as stewards of products people rely on every day.
What the Stewardship Program Addresses
The Stewardship Program for AHPs takes a responsible, voluntary approach to monitoring and managing trace impurities that may be present in these products. These substances are not intentionally added during manufacturing, but can be detected at trace levels through increasingly sensitive test methods.
While scientific evaluations show these trace levels are well below health-based safety thresholds, public concern continues to grow. This program equips manufacturers with:
A science-based framework for evaluating trace substances, including realistic exposure-based risk assessment (EBRA).
Consumer-relevant, harmonized test methods to ensure consistency in how trace substances are measured.
Guidance values for specific trace chemicals, grounded in global regulatory references, industry expertise, and evolving scientific knowledge.
The CODEX™: The Core of the Program
At the center of the Stewardship Program is the CODEX™, a living industry reference that includes:
An evolving list of trace chemicals of concern (including PAHs, PCBs, dioxins, furans, phthalates, formaldehyde, and metals).
Exposure-based risk assessments using realistic consumer use scenarios.
Standardized testing protocols that reflect real-world product performance.
Guidance values that can adapt as science and regulation evolve.
By voluntarily committing to the CODEX™, U.S. manufacturers demonstrate to regulators, policymakers, and consumers that our industry is taking a science-driven, transparent, and proactive approach to product stewardship.
Why It Matters Now
The national conversation around “chemicals of concern” in everyday products is growing quickly. Recent U.S. media coverage has already raised questions about tampons, period underwear, and diapers. As an industry, we have a responsibility to lead by ensuring that safety standards are proactive, consistent, and rooted in sound science—so consumers can trust the products they depend on every day.
This Stewardship Program is our opportunity to:
Set the narrative around safety and responsibility.
Demonstrate transparency to consumers and stakeholders.
Protect the long-standing trust in absorbent hygiene products.
Preempt reactionary legislation with science-based, practical standards.
How It’s Managed
The Program is guided by an AHP Stewardship Committee, supported by a Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) of independent experts. Together, they ensure that the CODEX™ remains current, credible, and transparent—incorporating the latest science, safety evaluations, and market surveillance data.
Open to All Manufacturers
Participation is voluntary and open to all companies that manufacture or sell absorbent hygiene products in the United States, whether or not they are INDA members. By signing on, companies commit to:
Not exceeding established guidance values for trace impurities.
Using agreed test methods to evaluate and confirm product safety.
Supporting transparent, science-based communication to consumers and stakeholders.
