Subscribe
Previous Post
In a new large paper published published by The Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC), a standing committee of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA). Says heck yeah, that reusable bags “Are a breeding ground for bacteria and pose public health risks – food poisoning, skin infections such as bacterial boils, allergic reactions, triggering of asthma attacks, and ear infections… [and that] Over 30% of the bags had unsafe levels of bacterial contamination, 40% had yeast or mold and some of the bags had intestinal fecal bacteria embedded in their surface when there should have been 0.”
The paper further notes, “This study provides strong evidence that reusable bags could pose a significant risk to the safety of the food supply if used to transport food from store to home and that single use plastic shopping bags and other first use carry bag options are more hygienic than reusables.”
Um, ok. First of all look who this paper is by – wow what a shock, a pro-plastics organization. Not surprisingly their recommendations include:
- This should become a mandated safety standard across the entire grocery industry for reusable bags.
- In future cases of food poisoning, family doctors and public health officials should add the reusable grocery bag to the list of possible sources of contamination to be investigated.
- Proper cleaning instructions should be provided to the public. Cleaning is no guarantee of removal of possible pathogens.
- The drafting and dissemination of usage protocols should be considered an immediate priority in public health education including the suggestion that the reusable bags be replaced regularly to avoid the whole issue of bacterial build up.
Well here’s the thing. If cleaning is no guarantee of removal of possible pathogens, then why do we even bother wearing and washing clothing, bedding, cloth diapers, and so on. Why even shower? Maybe we should only dress in plastics and buy plastic furniture. The thing I do agree with is that we can’t beat germs, but reusable bags aren’t the issue there. The issue is that germs are naturally everywhere. Bacteria is everywhere. Any microbiology major will tell you that germs and bacteria are found on money, books, cafeteria trays, and countless other items you use daily. We can’t ban it all and human actions like antibacterial soap use is just making it worse.
What we can prevent is the use of plastics. Plastic products are toxic to make and use. Non-reusable bags create mountains of litter, kill sea and other animals, and don’t break down but instead spread their chemicals into the water, air, and soil.
The reusable bags that I advocate are cloth – preferably recycled cotton or organic cotton or another sustainable fabric like hemp or bamboo – all of these can be washed, and if you don’t trust washing items, well, we’re right back at the you’re gonna have to wear a plastic bag issue.
This is scare tactics 101 pure and simple and a huge waste of our time. What do you think? Will you be banning your reusable bags now?
A Microbiological Study of Reusable Grocery Bags (pdf)
[image via stock.xchng]
954 days ago
[...] How often do you wash your shopping bags? [...]
My mother-in-law lives in a smallish town in central Texas. In years past, she often commented on how I was able to reuse paper grocery bags (many stores in my town even gave you 5 cents per bag), because it wasn’t allowed where she lived. “Worried about contamination” was the reason. It wasn’t clear to me if that was a store policy or what, but it seemed inane. I reused paper bags until they were torn or icky (like if something leaked), and then they went into the recycling bin. Now we mainly use an assortment of cloth/tyvek/sturdy plasticky bags, but we still have a pile of brown paper bags in the back of the van, for the occasion when we forget the cloth ones.
I wash my bags! Especially after carrying meats and/or produce. Then I wash my produce before eating it. Amazing how it works. My bags from Green Chic Bag Company hold up fantastically well in the wash and they are so cute I would never trade them for a paper or plastic bag.
http://www.GreenChicBagCo.com
FUNNY stuff! I wash my bags.
Man, it’s getting to the point where every “industry study” really has to be taken with a gigantic grain of salt, isn’t it?? At least one has to really look for who’s funding it and what their ulterior motives are. I’m a personal chef, I shop for groceries every day – sometimes twice – and I always use reusable bags. I use cotton, or the Whole Foods bags made from recycled plastic. I have dozens of them and wash them regularly. Shockingly, I also skip using the plastic produce bags too! My peppers and cucumbers just roll around in the bag, unfettered! When I (rarely) get pre-packaged chicken that is often leaky, I do use a designated “meat bag” just to be sure I’m not getting chicken juice all over my clients’ tomatoes, but still. I also have floors, doorknobs, a kitchen sink and lots of other things that get germy. And I’m still kickin! :-) Thanks for a great writeup.
Wow. I am guessing that if all that stuff is on the bags then it is on our clothes as well. I suppose nudism and plastic clothing is the only thing left for humankind. Sadly this will be bad for the bacon industry because who in the heck is gonna fry bacon nekkid?