Grocery Bag Bans and Foodborne Illness [ER admissions and deaths up by 25% since plastic bag ban]

papers.ssrn.com ^ | November 2, 2012 | Jonathan Klick and Joshua D. Wright

[svcw]

Not surprised

[nascarnation]

Wow these guys must be right wing extremists.
How could they dispute progressive dogma?
And in that shrine of liberalism, SF CA ??

[LukeL]

this is why I throw away any plastic bag that touched raw meat. The reast we reuse for lunches and such.

[Mercat]

we use them for dog poop

[DustyMoment]

Ah, the absurdity and idiocy of liberal meddlers. Back in the 70s and 80s they convinced legislative ignoramuses across the country that paper grocery bags don’t biodegrade for decades in landfills an that the grocery stores needed to switch to plastic.

Those of us whose brains stills functioned were against at the complete lack of logic because a paper bag biodegrades much, much faster than does plastice. But, the elected twits in Congress and state legislatures across the country apparently slept through that particular 8th grade science class.

So, today, landfills are full of plastic bags that will still be intact when the next millenia comes and now, the same morons who convinced legislative morons that “paper bad, plastic good” are now telling the same legislative morons, “plastic bad, paper or reusable bags good.”

And people wonder why we are a nation of idiots!

[VRWCarea51]

Anyone ever heard of lysol or a washing machine, or are they outlawed in the freak state?

[freeangel]

I love reusable bags—not for any “green reasons”. I just don’t have to make 40 trips back and forth to the car when I can put my groceries in 1 or 2 bags and make one trip.

[Dr. Sivana]

Back in the 70s and 80s they convinced legislative ignoramuses across the country that paper grocery bags don’t biodegrade for decades in landfills an that the grocery stores needed to switch to plastic.

I remember it differently. The paper bags were bad because it required the cutting of trees. I don't think anybody claimed that platics (especially '70s plastics) degraded.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

we use them for dog poop

Make sure you check 'em for holes in the bottom. A lot of them have tears and holes after their primary function is completed.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

The paper bags were bad because it required the cutting of trees.

God help us, in Maine, we have a tree growing every square foot.

[SatinDoll]

Yes, similiar here - removing solids from kitty litter boxes (6 cats) and getting dog poo (2 dogs) out of back yard.

[Dallas59]

It’s better that humans die instead of a pigeon that eats plastic bags.../s

[Dr. Sivana]

God help us, in Maine, we have a tree growing every square foot.

And it is VERY important to the folks in Madison, Berkeley, Manhattan and San Francisco that it STAY that way.

[svcw]

Use them for dog poop, or trash bags.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The obvious answer is who wants to go to the bother. Less obvious is that these reusable bags are not robust enough to withstand machine washing, or they are just plain water proof which does not wash well.

[svcw]

Many of the reusable bags fall apart if you try and wash them.
They are great for non perishable items, I only use plastic for fresh and meat.

[austinaero]

I need to get this to the Austin City Council who just enacted a ban on plastic bans. Is San Fran going to somehow be held liable for all those ER visits? or any of them?

[publius911]

Low-information voters and abysmally ignorant legislators...
...and unexpected consequences.

What a freaking surprise!

['smith]

It looks like the paper is written by two attorneys. Look for a class action suit.