Plastic Bags: What can I use for my kitchen garbage can?

Question

With this Sunday being Earth Day, my wife and I are really trying to cut down on our plastic bag consumption. For the most part we shop at Trader Joe's, so we normally will use paper bags. We also are purchasing the canvas bags at some local grocers. Our problem is our small kitchen garbage can. We use plastic grocery bags as a can liner since we don't have much trash and we don't want to use a huge hefty bags for such a small amount. We pretty much recycle most of our items and use our food disposal. There are some items that can't be recycled or placed in the disposal, so what should I use to dispose of these items without the use of plastic bags? stuff like q-tips, bottle caps, hygiene products, used Kleenex and paper napkins, meat bones, Styrofoam, dirt from a vacuum cleaner, etc.

Please help!

Answer 1

For years my mom used the brown paper bags as trash bags lining the rectangular trash can in the kitchen.  She still does.  Most the garbages were made to fit the brown bag pretty well.  If not, be sure to bring a brown bag when you shop for a new can.  If it was handy, she would use a flattened cardboard cracker/cereal box as the bottom 1st item to further reinforce.

Answer 2

There are garbage cans that have a  permanent 'liner' that is removable, so that you can take it out and wash.

Answer 3

You can add vacuumed dirt to your compost pile as well as Kleenex and paper products.  Qtips and bottle caps go into the garbage at our home since I dont know where else to dispose of them.

Answer 4

Wow.......I have the same problem. I thought I was doing a good thing by recycling the plastic grocery bags.

Answer 5

hey, at least you are using part of the reduce, reuse, and recycle cycle.  Its better than going out and buying big plastic garbage bags like my gf does, and since we and everyone we know has tons and tons of the little bags, which most places dont recycle, at least they are being put to good use.

Answer 6

It occurs to me that you don't need a liner at all, just wash out the garbage pail whenever it needs it. The liner's more for convenience, so you don't have to carry the pail to the main trash can, right? Carry the little trash can, I'd say. If you compost, you'll likely not have to clean it out very often. Wrap messy items in a layer of newspaper, maybe. Good luck!

Answer 7

This just happened to us as well! San Francisco is thinking about banning plastic bags in totality. We use them to clean out the cat box and as liners for the kitchen garbage. We have a very little kitchen garbage also, since we recycle all the cans bottles and paper that we get from shopping. We live in an apartment, though, so we have no compost, and the orange peels go into that garbage. I went to a good grocery store in the city and found seventh generation recycled garbage bags. They cost a little more, but it helps close the loop of recycling, so it's a good thing. Unfortunately, they only had tall kitchen size, and we only need a small kitchen or bathroom size.

Answer 8

I think that the best you can do is put it into a small plastic bag.  However, instead of throwing out the small garbage bag all the time, why don't you get a large plastic garbage bag (economy sized) and just keep dumping the disposal into that bag.  Then when that one is full, take it to the dump, or do whatever you normally do with your garbage.   That's what we do, at least, and I am pretty vain when it comes to trying to protect the environment.

Answer 9

I second, or maybe third(?) the idea of not using a liner at all. We don't , we just walk our garbage out can and all, dump the can, and then rinse the can out in our bathtub (or if you have a yard you could do it outside) I'd cut out all use of styrofoam too, it is just not good for the environment. If it's takeout containers you could start to bring your own tuperware stuff with you when you go out to bring leftovers home in. Meat Bones could be taken to the local animal shelter to be given to the animals as a treat (or if they are the kind that shouldn't be given to animals then you could leave them outside for some small scavenging animal to pickup and eat what is left on/in it and then they will use it for their homes.) Dirt from the vacuum cleaner, well you could spread it out over your yard.

Answer 10

If you concern is the plastic bag going into landfill, could you use a biodegradable plastic bag? They are appearing more often here in the UK and we are usually way behind the rest of you. I think the latest ones break down in around 9 months.

Why not add your used Kleenex, napkins and vacuum dirt into your compost bin too, I re-use Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) as packing material when I post out my EBay sales.

:-) John

Answer 11

My mom uses an old milk crate. The paperbag fits nicely in it. It also fits under the kitchen sink so others dont have to see it.