We know reusable shopping bags are a good idea, but like anything non-disposable, they’ll need a little maintenance from time to time. A recent study funded by the plastics industry (no doubt trying to pump up sales as stores and customers try to use fewer plastic bags) found that more than half the reusable shopping bags they tested were contaminated with some form of bacteria.
But in a recent Vancouver Sun article, B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall said reusable bags do not pose a serious public health risk. “…it’s just about the importance of hygiene, and the same basic principles that apply to cutting boards and separating raw foods from cooked foods.” Kendall should know, having come from England where reusable shopping containers are common: “I grew up with reusable shopping bags, everybody used them well into the ’60s, or wicker baskets,” he continues, “People laundered their bags periodically.”
So here are a few tips for keeping your shopping trips as clean as they are green:
- If your bag is fabric, toss it in the washing machine, and if it’s a plastic material, let it soak in a basin filled with soapy water and either the juice of half a lemon or about a quarter cup of vinegar. Make sure to dry the bags thoroughly.
- Use specific bags for meat or fish and wash these every time they are used.
- Don’t keep your shopping bags stuffed into a tight space or in an unhygienic area (such as loose in the trunk of a car) Store them somewhere clean and well-ventilated.
- Don’t use the same bags for buying broccoli as you do for taking your sweaty workout gear home from the gym.
- Replace your reusable bags when they get to be too old. (Check to see if they are recyclable, like the ones offered by London Drugs)
By offering reusable bags and educating customers, London Drugs has been able to reduce plastic bag use throughout all our stores. With the right bag maintenance, we can clean up even more.
