Safely Using Reusable Bags Amidst COVID-19
By Sandra Meola, Director, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed
Getting used to this “new normal” yet? There are a lot of dos and don’ts I’m sure we can all recite by now. Wash your hands frequently. Don’t touch your face. Flatten the curve. Don’t hoard groceries.
Speaking of groceries, it’s time for some real talk about reusable bags. We can continue to reduce our plastic waste by reusing our cloth and polypropylene shopping bags during these challenging times.
You might be asking yourself, aren’t plastic bags safer to use right now? The answer is not necessarily. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the coronavirus can live on some surfaces, including plastic, for up to 3 days. We don’t have information about fabrics yet, but CDC guidelines note that the virus may live on clothing for hours to days. The reality is that we don’t have enough sound science to know for sure whether plastic or reusable bags are safer.
But, consider that unlike the paper and plastic which will sit on a counter exposed to employees and customers, you are in control of your bags.
Tips for Safely Using Reusable Bags
Bring clean, washed bags to the grocery store. If possible, sanitize the shopping cart before you put your bags in it. Many stores offer disinfectant wipes at their entrances.
At checkout, avoid putting your bags on the counter. Rather, keep your bags in the cart as you pack up groceries.
Wash your bags after each trip to the grocery store. Soap and hot water are effective at killing coronavirus, other viruses, and bacteria.
Wear gloves and wash your hands before and after unpacking your groceries for at least 20 seconds.
Again, bag handling is something you can control. You can control how often you wash your bags, where you put your bags, and who else comes into contact with your bags.
Preventing and reducing single-use plastic pollution from entering our environment is a priority for the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed. Here is a glimpse of how each watershed state is tackling plastic bags. We appreciate our Coalition members, Plastics Work Group members, and other partners for contributing to these efforts!
New Jersey: A bill has passed the Senate that would ban plastic and paper bags and expanded polystyrene foam and allow plastic straws to be only be available upon request. NJ’s Assembly has been slow to follow. Meanwhile, more than 100 municipalities have taken matters into their own hands by passing ordinances.
New York: New York’s Bag Waste Reduction Law took effect on March 1, 2020. The law bans single-use plastic bags and allows counties and municipalities to enact provisions on paper bags. Enforcement is delayed until May 15th due in part to the pandemic.
Pennsylvania: A package of 13 bills, know as Zero Waste PA have been introduced including several that would ban types of single-use plastic. Philadelphia’s City Council passed a plastic bag ban late last year. The legislation does not address paper bags.
Delaware: Governor Carney signed a plastic bag ban into law, set to go into effect January 2021. The law does not address paper bags.
Remember, we’re all in this together and this, too, shall pass. Please visit CDC’s website for more guidelines.
And these state-specific resources: