Could Reusable Shopping Bags Make You Sick?
Could your reusable shopping bags be making you sick? According to a recent study, the answer is yes.
The study, commissioned and funded by the Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC) in Canada, collected reusable bags randomly from consumers on the streets of Toronto. These bags, most of which were less than a year old and used daily, were tested by two independent laboratories.
The labs found that as well as carrying our groceries, the bags were also carrying high levels of mold, bacteria, and yeast. The 15-page report, which highlights the study’s findings, includes the following facts:
- 64 percent of the tested reusable bags were contaminated with some level of bacteria.
- Nearly 30 percent had bacterial counts higher than what is considered safe for drinking water.
- 40 percent of the bags contained the presence of yeast or mold.
- Some of the sampled bags contained unsafe levels of coliforms and faecal intestinal bacteria.
But before anyone starts throwing away their reusable bags, think carefully about how you are using and maintaining these bags. Do you place improperly wrapped meat into the bags? Have they had spilt or perishable foods in them? Are they used for multiple purposes, such as for sports events and as a diaper bag? Do you wash them regularly? Where are they stored?
Like anything else, proper care is important. Bags need to be washed between mixed uses or at least once a week. They need to be stored in a dry, clean environment. Ideally, each bag should have a designated use – groceries, gym clothes, diapers, wine, etc.
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3 Comments
June 5th, 2009 at 5:07 am
Time to wash my bags….
June 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
One has to wonder… if we’re wasting the water to wash our reusable bags weekly, are we really making that much less impact than disposable?
One also has to wonder whether these bacterial findings are actually making people sick. After all, bacteria is everywhere. In fact, our bodies have more bacteria than human cells. So, unlike amyd, I will not be washing my bags until they get meat juice or something else vile on them, figuring my immune system will handle the bacteria of day to day life the same way it always has.
June 5th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I suppose it’s no different from the handbag I carry for an entire season or the shoes I wear day in, day out…what doesn’t kill me is hopefully making me stronger.
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