Reusable Grocery Bags Could Make You Sick
May 10th, 2012 tmccoy
Watch out when you think you’re doing the right thing by helping the environment…you might get sick as a result.
The Oregon Health and Science University have released some research stating that individuals who reused grocery bags in an effort to help the environment may have contracted viruses from the bags from germs on raw meat. The virus which is causing the minor panic is called “norovirus,” and the outbreak occurred among 17 teenage girls from the Oregon area.
The virus causes diarrhea and vomiting, and spread from one original host to a number of other girls that she was with at the time after it went air born. Clearly, the message is that, while reusing bags is a positive move in the right direction for environmental purposes, the bags must always be cleaned properly before redistribution.
Plastic bags specifically should be wiped down with sanitizing napkins, while linen bags should be laundered in the wash.
