Plastic Free July is a global movement that empowers people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. The concept is simple: Participants are challenged to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics by eliminating one or more single-use items from their daily lives.

In an effort to stay healthy it can be tempting to assume that single-use plastics are more hygienic than their reusable counterparts. The fact is that reusable items — cups, bags, containers — pose no health risks. As long as you keep your reusable items clean, they are just as clean, if not cleaner, than single-use products.