Did you know?
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30% of Canadian households report always using recycled or reusable grocery bags instead of disposable plastic ones for their groceries!
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41% of households report occasionally using these eco-friendly grocery bags.
Reusable grocery bags can help cut down on the waste produced by plastic grocery bags, but these reusable bags require some upkeep to make sure that bacteria from food residue don’t make you sick.
People need to use and clean them often! CCSPA has provided some useful tips for your safety when using reusable grocery bags.
- Make sure to clean your grocery bags before and after use, especially if being used to carry fresh produce, meat, poultry, and/or seafood. Cross contamination can also be avoided by separating meats from vegetables. You don’t want to get sick!
- Wash them often – Fabric grocery bags can generally be added into your regular laundry loads. (For more detailed tips about laundry care, click here).
- Other grocery bags that aren’t machine-washable can be cleaned by hand with hot soapy water. (For more detailed tips about cleaning different surfaces, click here.)
- Make sure any type of bag is completely dry after you’ve washed it. To avoid bacteria, it’s also better to store these bags inside your home where it’s cool and dry and not in the back of your car where hot temperatures encourage bacteria growth.