BellaOnline Forums News and Politics Environment Lead in reusable bags!

I had been using reusable shopping bags because I thought it was helping the environment. Today I find out that at least some contain lead! Not only is that a danger to the environment, but to my family.

Scary stuff. Guess I will have to go back to plastic bags until I know that the reusable ones are safe again. Not sure what to do with the ones I already have-hate to put that possible lead in the landfill.

Article about lead in reusable bags

How interesting - why is there any lead in these bags?

"...asking suppliers to make reusable bags with less lead..."

The article really doesn't say how much lead was found or whether it is just in the printing or the material. I imagine it is just the paint. Reusable bags should be washed on a regular basis anyway which would probably reduce it. I don't eat anything straight from the bag so my concern is pretty low. It's definitely a good thing to keep an eye on though.

Hey Moe! Yes I even have a thread going about washing recycle bags and my heart sank because I am a true advocate of trying to erraticate the plastic so hence the thread and the lead! Oh why? Yup I too eat nothing directly from the bags themselves and do wash regularly but I am hoping that that will be enough and that I am not doing more harm than good. I'll follow that sotry as well thanks1

Mary Caliendo

I don't know. When I turned on the news last night they were just finishing up with the story. So I looked it up last night.

They should be able to make lead free bags. Lead is very serious. I am very concerned about this problem.

I don't know if washing would help. It may make it worse by exposing more of the lead (if it's in the paint or underneath the paint, over-handling or washing may cause it to chip away and expose more lead). I don't know really know though with bags; I am just guessing from what I know about toys. Toys with lead in them (and yes, even new toys are found with lead in them all of the time) are a problem as they get older and the paint starts to either chip or rub away.

Lead isn't anything to play around with. I'm concerned that the food may absorb the lead, not just stay on the surface to be washed off. I know our bodies absorbed a lot of lead from the air when leaded gasoline was used.

I have a young child so any lead is a big concern. Just the fact that lead is used in bullets and my husband is a police officer is enough for doctors to been concerned enough to have her tested (this was before we started using reusable bags).

I hope the concern is actually small and I am overreacting. However, until they are showed to be lead free, I think I will go back to plastic . I don't know what to do with all of the bags I have now though. I don't want to throw them in the landfill if they may have lead (concern mentioned on the news), but I don't want them around my house either.

When stores start certifying that they are lead free, I will buy new lead free ones.

NY Times article

The NY Times article (link above) says a little more about it. Apparently it is the paint. And it is mostly bags made in China.

The Times article also explained that the paint could chip off. I don't know if that is just the paint on the outside ( a few have paint on the inside).

I think the stores that made them should take them back and find a "safe" way to dispose of them.

I was reading along with this article that there is a chemical in the register tape that is hazardous as well - BPA. We need to be careful about everything that we touch these days.

The rules here in this country were stringent at one time but I guess there is a breakdown in enforcing rules on imported materials or perhaps enforcement in general. (not necessarily about the register tape but products in general)

here is an article about that - I didn't originally read it at this site.

artical about register tape

Wow, that's crazy. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

I see many store clerks and workers wearing gloves these days. There are many chemicals on the merchandise we purchase which could cause people to break out in rashes or illness.