The internet is abuzz this morning with news that Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has taken a stand against reusable bags containing high contents of lead. And good for him! We applaud and support all efforts to make household products, especially reusable bags, cleaner and safer.
It is unfortunate and unacceptable that many households have purchased and used bags containing lead to transport their food. Senator Schumer is right to ask the FDA to investigate and oversee this matter in the future. But it seems to be an unfortunate consequence of the sudden concern that some supermarket chains are pulling all reusable bags from their shelves and many consumers are giving up on the reusable bag movement altogether. Lucy Yang of ABC says, “Sometimes you just can’t win for trying. Take reusable grocery bags made in China. They’re supposed to be a green way to shop, good for consumers, good for the Earth, except now officials fear they pose a real health risk. ” But really, if you make a mistake once, you don’t throw in the towel, you try to make a better, more informed decision in the future. Plastic and paper disposable bags are not the answer to this problem.
The answer is to choose reusable bags that are clean and safe for your family during their useful life and will not harm the planet during their eventual disposable. Unfortunately the press has been using the phrase “Eco Bags” quite freely and recklessly and we just want to assure you that our bags do not contain lead. Since 1989 our ECOBAGS® Brand products have been made with 100% natural, recycled and organic cottons and are absolutely safe if used properly (ie. appropriate washing) and will biodegrade naturally and safely once they are no longer of use.
The moral of the story, for me at least, is always question the cheap alternative. Why is it so cheap? Is something being skimped on? Whether it’s food, clothing, bags or automobiles examine your options thoroughly and weigh the consequences. And for me, natural is always the better way to go.
