Bin Liners

Buy best value bin liners and refuse sacks for all your waste disposal needs.

Bin liners are one of the most common household items around the world. Millions of households use bin liners to collect waste and refuse placed inside rubbish bins, before simply lifting the bin liner out of the bin to convenient and clean disposal. There is a bin liner for every type of bin, from swing bins to pedal bins, square bins to push-top bins and brabantia bins to wheelie bins, whilst eco-friendly biodegradable bin liners are popular for the collection of food waste or garden cuttings, before disposing in compost, where the bin liner will decompose with the waste itself.

Bin liners are...

• Bags used to line bins, but more specifically...
• Polythene bags used to line the inside of dustbin
• Also known as bin bags, waste sacks or rubbish bags
• Used to catch rubbish when it is placed into a dustbin
• Great at keeping the interior walls of the bin clean, stain-free and smell-free
• Excellent at reducing odour levels when collecting and disposing of everyday rubbish
• Handy to use, providing quick and easy disposal of rubbish collected within the bin
• Easily sealed and disposed of when full - just remove the full bin liner from the bin, lift at the edges, grab a handful of polythene from either side and then tie in a knot above the middle of the bag. You can then transport the bin liner to your exterior dustbin or wheelie bin
• Available in a range of shapes to suit all types of bin, including pedal bins, swing bins, square bins, round bins, flip-top bins, brabantia bins or traditional lift-lid dustbins.
• Available in a range of sizes to suit any bin, big or small
• Available in traditional polythene or a range of biodegradable alternatives - perfect for gathering food waste, kitchen waste, composting materials or garden waste

The bin liner - a brief history

The bin liner is such a part of modern day life that you could be forgiven for thinking it was always there, but of course it wasn't!

In Canada in 1950 an inventor by the name of Harry Wasylyk from Winnipeg, Manitoba, alongside his colleague Larry Hansen - another Canadian, from Lindsay, Ontario - invented the first polyethylene bin liner, which was the colour green.

Of course, being a North American creation, the world's very first bin liner wasn't called a bin liner, or even a rubbish bag, but a garbage bag (that's rubbish, North America!).

Whilst obviously very clever chaps, Messrs Wasylyk and Hansen didn't quite spot the future direction for the humble bin liner and the fact that it would end up in millions of homes around the world, as the first bin liners were designed for commercial use rather than use at home.

Having sold the first bags to the Winnipeg General Hospital, Wasylyk and Hansen sold their invention to the Union Carbide Company, Lindsay, where they worked and the company saw their potential for future use. Union Carbide began manufacturing the first green garbage bags for home use that decade and the very first bin liners (or garbage bags) for home use went on sale in the late 1960s under the name Glad Garbage.

So if you like bin bags then you should be glad for Glad Garbage, even if you aren't glad that the name includes the term garbage. It's probably a better, or less rubbish, brand name than Glad Rubbish anyway, even if it sounds a bit rubbish to call rubbish garbage.

Make sense? Well, congratulations to Messrs Wasylyk and Hansen for their clever invention, which is anything but rubbish… or garbage for that matter. Here's to you sirs!

Bin liner types - one size does not fit all

What does the term 'bin liner' mean to you? What sort of bin springs to mind and, more importantly, what sort of bin liner or bin bag do you think of fitting inside that bin?

Those very questions will prompt a wide range of answers, depending on who you speak to, reflecting the huge variety of bin liners available to fit the broad and varied array of bins or rubbish receptacles out there.

Bin liners range from very small bags that fit mini pedal bins - the sort commonly found in bathrooms - or kitchen caddies made from biodegradable material that are used to collect food waste disposal, right up to industrial sized bags that fit in wheelie bins or large compactor bins used predominantly outside business premises.

In between, you'll find a broad range of bin bags and liners that cater for bins of all shapes and sizes, including:

• Traditional dustbins
• Pedal bins
• Swing bins
• Square bins
• Flip-top bins
• Push-top bins (e.g. Brabantia)
• Wheelie bins
• Food bins / Kitchen caddy
• Compost bins
• Compactor bin
• Recycling bins
• Public litter bins

Bin liners - a black and white issue

The vast majority of bin liners or bin bags - depending on which term you prefer to use - are made from either black or white polythene, although there is a huge range of colours available to meet various waste disposal needs (more details below).

When considering black or white polythene, a good rule of thumb for bin bags is that thin means white and thick means black. Of course this is not always true - the gauge of polythene used for both white and black polythene bin bags will vary - but more often that not, thicker bags are made of black polythene.

Bin liners made from white polythene include a range of bags to fit small bins for domestic use, such as pedal bins, swing bins or square bins. These bags are commonly made from thin, lightweight white polythene as they are designed to deal with light duty use - e.g. tissues, toilet rolls innards, pencil sharpenings etc.

The old-fashioned classic black bin bag is that used for your everyday rubbish, whether in your kitchen bin, an outside dustbin or just used loose to collect rubbish from a wide area, e.g. clearing up after a party.

The standard dimensions of a regular black bin bag are between approx. 85cm and 100cm long - approx. 34” to 39” - and between 64cm and 74 cm wide - approx. 25” to 29”.

More so than white bin liners, black bin bags come in a huge range of thicknesses, from the cheap and cheerful ultra-light price beater sacks at 80 gauge thick, to the ultra thick heavy duty bags, which are up to 350 or 400 gauge thick.

So you could be forgiven for thinking your choice of bin liner is a black and white issue, although this is not the case. Bin liners are available in a huge variety of colours. The coloured varieties tend to be slightly more expensive than the standard black variety, but they can be helpful in many other ways. Here is one of them...

10 things you might hear about Bin Liners

Mum wears bin liner to night out after friend tells her she’d ‘see superb in a trash bag’

A bin liner and a superb bit of confidence are very alternative things, nevertheless the gross film selection still causes trouble if the bag has to transport above waste. Thin polythene suppliers is manufactured for light, loose contents, so once it is pulled, snagged or asked to grasp weight at the seams, split failure comes fast. In shopping, warehousing and house clearance work, that means mess on the floor, damaged products and additional cleaning time. A stronger gauge, better seal quality and the proper bag size give far better handling. Choosing the proper liner saves hassle because a bag that gives method halfway through a job stops being a convenience and turns into waste.

Safewrap Pedal Bin Liner White (Pack of our telephone

A superb pedal bin liner requirements to cope with sharp office waste, damp kitchen scraps and normal daily waste without splitting at the rim. High-density 52-gauge polythene suppliers gives that useful balance of strength and flexibility, so the bag can stretch slightly as it is filled nevertheless still grasp its shape in the bin. That matters in busy washrooms and staff areas, where a weak film leads to leaks, additional cleaning and wasted labour. Supplying the liners in rolls also makes storage and issuing simpler on the shop floor or in the stores. The practical result is less liner failures and less time spent dealing with mess.

A dustbin liner has to do far above conceal waste, because a weak bag in the gross grade will split at the worst moment. Good liners rely on film gauge, stretch and seal quality, with enough strength to take damp waste, sharp off-cuts and awkward shapes without tearing at the base or drawstring. In warehouse terms, they also need sensible pack counts and tidy carton design so staff can select fast and store them without damage. When the gauge is also light, complaints follow fast; when it is also heavy, material is wasted. A liner works optimal when the specification matches the waste stream.

Bin Liner Holder with Removable Lid

A bin liner holder with a detachable lid assists retain waste contained while making liner changes quicker at the point of use. The holder retains the bag open and proper, so waste is less likely to slip inside the frame amid filling, which reduces mess around production floors, stockrooms, and cleaning stations. A detachable lid also makes access easier when the bin requirements emptying or a liner requirements replacing, without forcing staff to wrestle with a fixed top. That saves time amid busy shifts and retains the waste area tidier. For sites that handle mixed packaging waste, this simple design often gives better control than a loose bin liner draped above an open container.

Pedal Bin Liner

A disposable white medium density pedal bin liner gives a tidy fit for most office waste bins and pedal bins, which matters above it first appears. A liner that sits properly round the rim is less likely to slip into the bin when the pedal is pressed, so staff spend less time fixing mess and replacing bags. Medium density film gives a sensible balance between cost and resistance to tearing, particularly for light office waste like paper, tissue, and packaging offcuts. The 275mm x 450mm x 450mm size suits plenty normal bins without leaving excess film bunching up. That makes daily waste handling cleaner and more predictable.

A dustbin liner is a poor comparison for packaging film unless the thickness, strength and stop are being judged honestly, because the gross gauge can lead to splits, poor containability and a cost-effective feel on the line. In warehouse and production use, a film that behaves also much like a bin liner often has weak puncture resistance and variable tension, which makes it awkward on packing machines and unreliable in transit. A better spec gives cleaner handling, steadier seals and less damaged consignments, so the job is not only to see like a bag nevertheless to keep safe the product properly.

Has the sale of bin liners increased since the plastic bag ban was introduced?

A bin liner can disappear from shoppers' habits for a while and then come back once the household store of complimentary bags runs down. That is what often happens when a ban or levy changes buying patterns: stockpiles bought before the rule retain waste bins covered for months, sometimes years, so sales see weak at first and then recover later. The proper issue is not fashion nevertheless substitution, because people either retain utilising existing plastic bags as liners or switch back to buying the proper size and gauge for the bin. For suppliers and retailers, that means demand can see flatter than expected, then reset when old habits and old stocks are finally used up.

White Pedal Bin Liner

A pedal bin liner requirements to match the bin, the waste load, and the method the liner is fitted, otherwise it causes slipping, tearing, or poor bag presentation. In a warehouse or cleaning cupboard, the proper gauge and fold make a proper contrast because thin film can snag when the bag is pressed above the rim, while a stronger liner copes better with mixed office waste and repeated pedal use. Bulk supply also matters when stock rotation is tight, since a proper consignment reduces last-small shortages and retains bin servicing predictable. A well-chosen liner saves time on the floor and cuts handling waste where it tends to build up fastest.

A dustbin liner can do above grasp waste when it is used as a simple improvised barrier on the shop floor. Laying a bin liner flat and cutting it open turns it into a clean, waterproof sheet that protects the floor from glue, paint, dust, or loose fibres while small parts are sorted or trimmed. The smooth polythene suppliers surface stops liquids soaking through, although it can shift if the floor is dusty or if the sheet is also light a gauge. That makes the method fast and cost-effective, nevertheless not optimal for heavy traffic or sharp offcuts. For short work, it gives a tidy temporary base and assists retain mess below control.

A bin liner may see like a simple consumable, nevertheless its job is to control hygiene, contain waste securely, and make emptying faster when the proper grade is chosen. Thin film can save material, yet it tears more easily on sharp offcuts, heavy food waste, or wet contents, leading to leaks and additional cleaning at the bin bay. A stronger gauge improves handling, nevertheless poor fit or weak seal strength can make the liner slip inside the bin and waste time amid disposal. Picking the proper size, film thickness, and tie method retains bins cleaner, reduces spill risk, and cuts avoidable handling damage.

Where to buy bin liners

Bin liner manufacturers and suppliers include:

Rubbish Bags
Discount Rubbish Bags lives up to its name, providing customers with a wide range of rubbish bags, waste sacks and bin liners at discount prices. Contains loads of information, giving you the very best opportunity to buy the right rubbish bag at discount prices.
www.discountrubbishbags.co.uk

Bin Liners
A very helpful website for any customer looking to purchase bin liners for any type of waste disposal. Featuring information on different types of polythene bin liner and eco-friendly alternatives, this website has your bin liner needs covered.
www.binliners.org

Bin Bags
Bin Bags is the website for all your bin bag needs. Whether you are shopping for traditional black waste sacks, bin liners or eco-friendly alternatives, this website will help you find the right bin bag for you.
www.bin-bags.co.uk

Black Bin Liners
Whatever type of bin bag or waste sack you are looking for, Discount Bin Liners is sure to help you make the right decision. From pedal bin liners to clinical waste disposal sacks and swing bin liners to wheelie bin bags, this site will help you get the right bin liners at great discount prices.
www.discountbinliners.co.uk

Wheelie Bin Liners
Discount Wheelie Bin Liners is a useful resource on bin liners, bin bags, waste sacks and eco-friendly bin liners. With bin liner news and a list of bin liner manufacturers, this is a bin liner website you don't want to miss.
www.discountwheeliebinliners.co.uk

Research & Resources

For more information on bin liners and bin bags, from manufacturing to methods of recycling, plus a list of polythene and biodegradable bags available, please visit:

PackagingKnowledge: The go-to knowledge site for the UK's polythene packaging industry, containing a huge wealth of information and useful articles on bin liners.

PlasticBags.uk.com: The UK's number one polythene packaging directory. List your products for free or browse through a fantastic selection of bin liners websites.

Goldstork: Search through specially selected information on bin liners in this free 'pick-of-the-web' directory.

Organise your recycling with coloured bin liners

If you want to separate your rubbish or waste to make it easier to dispose of, then coloured bin liners or bin bags could be just what you are looking for.

Today you can buy bin bags in a range of different colours to cater for your waste disposal needs, whatever they are.

If you just want to separate your rubbish into recyclables and non-recyclables, then why not choose black bin bags for your general waste and then green bin bags for your recyclable waste. You're doing your bit for the environment, so why not choose a green bin bag for your green waste?

The colour of bag you need may be determined by your local council or the company that collects your rubbish. Many people have wheelie bins of a certain colour that need to be filled with a particular type of waste but, in some instances, wheelie bins aren't a practical solution so coloured bin bags solve that problem.

Always check with your local council or the relevant organisation managing your waste disposal, but the following waste is often associated with the following colour of bin bag or wheelie bin:

• General (non-recyclable) rubbish - black
• Garden waste - green or brown
• Food waste - green or brown
• General recycling - green
• Plastic recyclables (bottles, trays etc.) - blue
• Aluminium (cans or tins) - grey or silver
• Hazardous waste (e.g. asbestos) - red
• Clinical waste (as used in hospitals) - yellow

Clear bin liners

There is one other 'colour' bin bag not referred to in the list of coloured bin liners. That is partly because it was worthy of a mention all on its own and partly because it doesn't really have a colour - it's see through!

Clear bin liners, otherwise known as see-through bin liners or transparent bin liners, are very useful for managing your waste disposal. They allow you to keep an eye on the rubbish being disposed of to ensure that no foreign materials other than those allowed are dumped in the bag.

Imagine an office where there is loads of paper recycling, but it has to be paper only being thrown away in the bag because it is all tipped straight into a giant shredder. Well what if someone accidentally threw their empty drinks can into the paper bin after finishing their drink?

If you were using traditional black bin liners you might never see that can, which could cause irreparable damage to a very expensive printer. But if you're using clear bin liners then, when you take the bin liner from out of the bin, it's very easy to take a quick look at the contents of the bin. Give it a quick shake about to check there's nothing trapped in the middle that shouldn't be there, and then you're done.

Clear bin bags are very popular in the workplace and are available in a range of thicknesses, to deal with light duty use such as paper, right through to super heavy duty bags for disposing of rubble and other hardcore materials on building sites etc.