Experts Request Residents to Maintain their Non-Woven Tote Bags

In the state of California, many cities have banned the usage of single-use plastic bags within their premises. However, experts are concerned about the impact that reusable bags or totes have on the health of the users. According to a few reports, repeated usage of reusable bags can lead to a few food-borne diseases, and therefore, experts want the residents to maintain their reusable bags in appropriate ways.

Reports suggest that reusable bags have harmful effects on the health of the users

According to several reports, since the time plastic bags have been banned in various regions across the US, many people have suffered from E. coli poisoning. According to researchers Joshua D.Wright and Jonathan Klick, when San Francisco banned single-use plastic bags within its premises, many people died due to E. coli poisoning in the next few months. Deaths from E. coli poisoning increased by 50 percent after the ban was introduced in San Francisco. In addition to this, approximately 34 percent more individuals were admitted in the hospitals for similar poisoning issues.

The researchers feel that over a period of time, reusable bags have contaminated bacteria deposited in them. When food items such as vegetables or fruits are carried in these contaminated bags, they get infected, and they can affect the health of the users. The researchers think that the residents forget about the need to maintain their reusable bags, which is why these bags cause infections in the users.

The need to maintain non-woven tote bags

Whether people use non-woven tote bags, woven tote bags, or reusable cloth bags, they need to ensure that they maintain them by washing them at regular intervals. It has been found that the residents in the region of Arizona and California hardly wash their reusable bags. As a matter of fact, only close to three percent of the shoppers in these regions make efforts to wash their reusable bags.

Experts feel that residents should wash their reusable bags at least once a month, and if possible, they should have separate reusable bags for their vegetables, fruits, and their other grocery needs. This will keep the reusable bags free from bacterial infections. Additionally, experts think that people should dispose their reusable bags every four to six months. Some studies suggest that reusable bags kept in dark and warm places are at an increased risk of bacterial infections. So it’s advisable that people store their reusable bags in a clean environment.

Source:http://www.kcet.org/socal/food/the-nosh/wash-those-reusable-grocery-bags.html