I always thought that bin liners were just regular trash bags with a fancy way of saying it. It kind of seemed like trying to dress up something that just can’t be dressed up. Like calling the toilet the porcelain station or something like that. It’s true, but it’s a little glorified. Trash bags are meant to be seen as something disposable. It seemed like calling them bin liners made you feel like you had spent too much money on something that is just going to get thrown out. You would think, “No, not my bin liners!” as if they were made of silk or something like that.

On a domestic level, bin liners are definitely trash bags. On an industrial level they are so much more. Since they are used for packaging materials, it actually gets very interesting. The most amazing thing about them is that they are form-fitting to whatever particular container they are designed for, allowing the manufacturer to take full advantage of the space. The most obvious use for bin liners would be that of protecting the product from moisture, or pests, or leaking. They allow the least amount of residue for liquid products (usually stored in drums from fifty-five gallons all the way up to over three hundred, I might add.

Can’t even wrap my mind around that). They also allow for a speedier dispensing of dry products. I’m thinking gigantic cereal box… Perhaps the most interesting thing is that these bin liners actually allow for less waste. By lining cardboard bins, the bins can be reused over and over. Also, they reduce mass amounts of water and cleaners used to wash out the plastic containers. So if you were thinking about turning your nose up at giant plastic bags, consider that bit of information. Not only does the design improve efficiency and help cut costs and waste, there are many variations as well. You would think “plastic bag” is all that would be necessary.

Think again! There are special bin liners with anti-static properties, or they can be stretchy, or they can be extra durable. Perhaps someone wants their bin liners to be extra clear. Who are we to judge? What if they wanted theirs to have pink polka dots all over? Again, this is also an option. I’ve already mentioned the insane range in sizes. It turns out that bin liners are actually a useful tool.