Reusable bags not free of toxic substances—EcoWaste

MANILA, Philippines — Some reusable carry bags are not so Earth-friendly after all.

Pollution watchdog EcoWaste Coalition said Wednesday that tests it conducted revealed the presence of lead, a toxic substance, in both disposable plastic bags and recyclable bags made of natural and synthetic materials.

“Based on the screening we conducted, lead was detected in some carry bags that are used to pack food and non-food items,” EcoWaste national coordinator Aileen Lucero said in a press statement.

“While reusable bags are better alternatives to disposable plastic bags, manufacturers of these products should also see to it that they are free from lead,” she said.

The group said its portable X-Ray fluorescence device detected lead in many samples of bags used for carrying food and non-food items.

In the screening of various disposable plastic bags, 2,300 of the 4,300 samples, or 53 percent, of yellow “sando” or plastic bags contained lead in amounts ranging from 106 to 5,680 parts per million (ppm).

On the other hand, 52 of the 205 samples, or 25 percent, of the assorted reusable bags that were tested contained between 106 and 7,308 ppm of lead, according to EcoWaste.

“Overall, 2,153 of the 4,505 samples of disposable and reusable carry bags (48 percent) showed low or non-detectable levels of lead, indicating the technical feasibility of producing lead-safe bags,” the group said.

Lucero said the health and environmental impact of lead in shopping bags was significant.

“All carry bags will, over time, deteriorate. Wear and tear could liberate the lead out of the bag, causing it to leach to the food or get dispersed as dust,” she said.

“The leaded bags will eventually be disposed of in dumpsites or landfills or our rivers and seas, posing further problems to humans, other life forms and ecosystems,” Lucero said.

EcoWaste said the packaging industry should align its manufacturing practices with the recently approved “Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds” issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Under the DENR order, “the use of lead and lead compounds shall be strictly prohibited in the production/manufacturing of packaging for food and drink.”

Lead, a potent neurological, reproductive and developmental toxin and an endocrine-disrupting chemical, is one of the “10 chemicals of major public health concern,” according to the World Health Organization.