Business & Tech

Reusable Grocery Bags Deemed Safe to Use

Despite manufacturer tests, bags are not back on sale at King Kullen stores.

Reusable bags are, in fact, safe to use according to manufacturer tests conducted by several supermarket chains around Long Island.

The reusable bags, touted as safer for the environment than paper or plastic bags, were voluntarily removed by supermarket chain King Kullen Tuesday "as a precautionary measure," vice-president Tom Cullen said in a statement over concerns the bags contained higher-than-advised contents of lead. A&P, Waldbaum's and Pathmark stores removed their bags as well for testing.

Inspections of and New Hyde Park Tuesday showed that the bags were no longer on sale, a situation confirmed by staff when asked. The Bethpage-based grocer was also earlier in the year for not encouraging more widespread use of the reusable totes among its customers.

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Amy Murphy, spokesperson for Stop & Shop supermarkets, said that the chain had "tested all of our reusable bags and all fall far below allowable levels of heavy metal content including lead."

King Kullen's reusable bags are manufactured in China by Earthwise Bag Company, Inc. and are made entirely of nonwoven polypropylene. Inspections of other reusable shopping bags from grocers and drug stores indicated a majority of them are also manufactured of the same material and in China.

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Despite being deemed safe for consumers, the reusable bags were not back on sale at King Kullen stores. "We have been assured by the manufacturer of our reusable bags that the bags have been tested and comply with all government safety standards," Cullen said.  "As soon as we receive the final report from the manufacturer, the bags will again be available for sale in our stores."


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