Recently, some high-profile chains reported the existence of varying levels of lead in some of their reusable grocery bags, and some pulled their reusable shopping bags off the shelves because high levels of lead were detected in the ink used to imprint the bags or the reusable bags themselves. At about the same time, Senator Charles Schumer sent a letter (see below) to the Food and Drug Administration, urging the agency to investigate the issue.
Bulletin Bag [.com] works hard to earn our clients’ trust. Our ability to deliver high-quality reusable bags to you is enabled in part by the long-standing relationships we have with our factories. These factories monitor production and regularly test our bags to ensure compliance with the CPSC and CPSIA regarding lead levels. Despite what you might have heard over the last few days, not all reusable bags contain lead, and you can rest assured that the reusable bags you purchase from Bulletin Bag [.com] will comply with all CPSC and CPSIA guidelines for safety.
In addition, the majority of our reusable bags are printed in the United States, even if the bag itself is made overseas. This allows us to better monitor and control the inks used for printing, while allowing us to offer lower minimums and faster turnaround times. We also carry reusable bags made in the USA.
Only very large quantity orders (generally 5000+) and some custom bags are printed overseas. Bulletin Bag’s overseas partners are extremely reputable and are required to randomly test and provide results on their reusable bags and screenprinting inks. For additional peace of mind, when printing overseas clients have the option to have their custom reusable bag order specifically tested for lead content.
Bulletin Bag customers may request documentation of past test results at any time.
Bulletin Bag [.com] is committed to providing clients with the best selection of printed reusable shopping bags available online—safely. Rest assured we are closely monitoring the situation and will keep our clients (and future clients) updated as more information becomes available.
Trust. It’s important in business dealings. It’s CRITICAL in matters that bring health and safety into the equation. And in the fast-paced world of e-commerce, trust is our number one virtue.
Senator Schumer’s Letter to the FDA (can also be found here):
November 12, 2010
Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.,
Commissioner
Food and Drug Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD, 20993
Dear Dr. Hamburg:
As Vice Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, I am responsible for directing the Congress’s oversight over matters relating to the U.S. economy and consumers. In this capacity, I ask that your agency open an investigation into recent news reports that many reusable shopping bags being sold or provided in supermarkets and stores throughout the country may contain unacceptably high levels of lead and to ban the sale of any bags you find to have dangerous lead contamination.
In September 2010, Wegmans—a supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland—immediately and commendably announced that it would stop selling certain reusable shopping bags made in China after finding high levels of lead in these bags.
Now, there are reports that Publix and Winn-Dixie—supermarket chains with stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee—are also asking suppliers to find ways to make reusable grocery bags with less lead after a newspaper investigation found elevated lead levels in some Florida bags.
Any situation where lead bags are coming into contact with the food being purchased by Americans needs to be immediately investigated and resolved. These bags constitute a food contact surface and because your agency is charged with protecting the public from risks of illness or death caused by food contact surfaces, I urge you to investigate the lead content of reusable shopping bags—particularly those imported from China—and to take any and all actions within your lawful authority to ensure that America’s food supply is not being tainted by the bags consumers are using to bring their food home. This includes banning the sale of any bags found to contain dangerous lead levels.
In addition, to the extent that this investigation also requires cooperation and consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, I ask you to work with these agencies to address this issue and have copied the heads of these agencies on this letter to ask for their cooperation as well.
I thank you for your attention to this important matter, and look forward to working with you to protect America’s consumers.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
Vice Chairman
Joint Economic Committee
cc: The Honorable Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460
The Honorable Inez Tenenbaum, Chairman, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814
