Hold the Hand Sanitizer, Please

I don't know about you, but I love food. And in order to get my food, I must visit any one of the many grocery retailers that exist in this great country. All I have to do is walk into a large store, push a germ-infested cart around and load my food up to take it home.

Often, as soon as I get back into the car, I immediately slather my hands with hand sanitizer. If you think about it, those grocery carts get more action than any other part of the store.

Chevy Chase Supermarket in Chevy Chase, Md. decided to put an end to the cart contamination. The locally owned grocery store has implemented a car wash for carts using the Pure Cart System. The system coats carts in a peroxide-based mist that allegedly kills up to 99.9 percent of germs. It has also been approved for use by the FDA and EPA.

In a recent NPR.org story, Jason Kirsch of Chevy Chase Supermarket had this to say about the new system, "Shopping carts are one of the most infested, germ-harboring items there are. Shopping carts are worse then a public restroom toilet seat, a soap dispenser, a pay phone--the few that are left."

Eek! Not only does Jason have a point, but he's kind of freaking me out. I touch a grocery cart weekly. Somebody, quick, get a Pure Cart sanitizer system--stat!

Now, I am a little skeptical about having a peroxide solution on my hands (although at this point, it's better than germs, right?!). But have no fear, Pure Cart Systems president, Jim Kratowicz explains the details, "The science behind it is fairly simple. The chemistry is basically a peroxide-based solution that breaks down into carbon dioxide, so it's very similar to what you would put on a cut--only in a very diluted form."

So far, only 20 systems exist throughout the U.S. and South Korea. Why South Korea, I don't yet know--they must be super germ-conscious--in which case, I'm sending them a virtual high-five.

In any event, I would love to see more cart sanitizers in the grocery world, what about you? Is it a bit too fear-inspired or the perfect answer to germ-infested grocery carts? Tell us about it here!

--Heather Strang

Comments

[Indimom]

Walmart at least in my area refuses to do this! I have called and re-called my store & corp. I am told their "BUYING" dept is making the decision to supply the wipes for the customer....I say why should I supply my own wipes just to clean their carts, so untill they make the decision in favor for my health and safety, they will LOOSE my business!

[Ryan Johnson]

Please also check out Sanitize Systems, Shopping Cart Sanitizing System (SCSS) which can be found at www.sanitizesystems.com

[E]

In the Wash, DC area and many of the stores, Safeway, Giant, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods offer sanitizing towels to wipe off the cart handles. I love it! Im a germaphopic too!

[Kevin Vivers]

People, let's get a grip here. How many years have we all been going to the grocery store? And how many carts have we handled? And how many of us have gotten nary a sniffle from said contact? It's as if you, Ms. Strang, are implying that you are so clean and all of the rest of us, using shopping carts, are dirty, disease exuding lowlifes. Without any scientific data, and being a betting man, I would guess that you have a better chance of being poisoned by the food all packaged so pretty and neat (can you say spinich?)than from anything you would get from a shopping cart.

[maurine locke]

trader joes has sanitizer wipes at the door