Healthy Living: Local News
Your Re-Usable Grocery Bag May Be Tainted With Lead Based Paint
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Story Updated: Nov 26, 2010
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) -- You might want to hold off on toting fresh produce, or items your kids play with, in those popular re-usable grocery bags for now.
That's the advice of the Allen County Department of Health.
The bags, that are marketed as a good way to reduce the flow of plastic disposable bags into landfills, were shown in a Tampa newspaper report to contain dangerous levels of lead in their painted designs. A New York Senator wants a Federal probe launched into how safe they are.
Director Amy Hesting of Allen County Healthy Homes Program says, "I would recommend that if you have a concern about the bag that you're using, that you not place unpackaged food in the bag, and if you absolutely have to, then when you get it home, wash it very well before you consume it. The same thing with toys, if you have an unpackaged toy that you want to put in the reusable bag, I wouldn't do it until we know more."
A Target spokesperson says its bags,that were tested by the Tampa Tribune, comply with all state and federal product safety standards.
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