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Sure, using a reusable bag at the grocery store saves plastic from clogging up our landfills and oceans for time indefinite—but have you ever thought about what's accumulating at the bottom of that canvas bag, use, after use, after use?
The University of Arizona tested a bunch of reusable shopping bags in Tucson, Los Angeles, and San Francisco and found that more than half contained potentially harmful bacteria—more than 12% of the bags contained e. coli.
The scientists behind the study—which was funded by the American Chemistry Council to the tune of $30,000—says that shoppers don't need to throw their reusable bags away. There's a simple solution: Don't forget to wash them.
· Like Everything Else In Life, Reusable Shopping Bags Are Full Of Gross Bacteria [Consumerist]