Lead Found in Reusable Shopping Bags

Newspapers across the country, including the New York Times, recently reported that some reusable shopping bags contain lead. Although there is no evidence of an immediate threat to public health, studies found potentially unsafe lead levels in tested bags, most of which were manufactured in China. The presence of lead raises concerns about long-term risks posed by lead from discarded bags seeping into groundwater and food being contaminated by lead paint flaking off bags. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has contacted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Consumer Products Safety Commission, asking them to investigate and ban bags containing higher than acceptable lead levels.