Compostable bags? 8 May 2022 at 9:12PM edited 9 May 2022 at 9:17AM in Green & ethical MoneySaving 13 replies 171 views

waqasahmed

So, 

I'm buying a house and the local council in that area allows the following to go into the brown bin

- Compostable bags
- Cooked and uncooked food
- General garden waste

Where can I find cheap bags?

I'll end up getting these bins
https://www.recyclingbins.co.uk/stackable-recycling-container-45-litres.html

They're expensive but they take a lot of waste. I was then wondering where I might find these compostable bags cheaply? - They'd need to fit a 45 litre bin 

QrizB

We use paper bags in our compost bin (oe sometimes, just brown kraft paper). Would they be acceptable to your council?

paul991

surprising our  council provides  the bags  free of charge 

Ectophile

Most people would keep a small bin (around 5 litres) in their kitchen for food scraps.  The green liners for these are available in all good supermarkets, and many discount stores.  When the little bin is full, you tie up the bag and chuck it in the big bin.

I have never seen larger ones for sale.

BUFF

Compostable or biodegradable bags are generally used to hold your food waste. Most people hopefully are trying to cut down on food waste nor want to have large amounts of that in their houses so do you really need 45l bags/bin for that (most have a smaller kitchen caddy)?

Rodders53

Our current council provides food waste bins and free compostable bags on a roll that fit the small (5-7 litre?) kitchen caddy.  Those bags get placed in a larger 23-25 litre bin for weekly collection.

You won't want 45 litres of kitchen food waste kept in a bin indoors - the kitchen caddy size can stink after a few days' worth.  We have 2-3, sometimes 4 nowhere near full bags from the caddy in the outdoor collection bin most weeks.

IF they could be placed in our garden waste bins I'd just empty the kitchen caddy and take the bag to that bin to dispose of it as often as necessary.  {It's what we did in the last house where the council had the system you have.  They no longer accept food waste in them, though.}.

Compostable bags are readily found in varying capacities - although perhaps not the exact 45 litre  size...  40l and 50l.

BUFF

Rodders53 said:

IF they could be placed in our garden waste bins I'd just empty the kitchen caddy and take the bag to that bin to dispose of it as often as necessary.  {It's what we did in the last house where the council had the system you have.  They no longer accept food waste in them, though.}.

Compostable bags are readily found in varying capacities - although perhaps not the exact 45 litre  size...  40l and 50l.

This is what I do - food waste>kitchen caddy with biodegradable bag>garden waste bin (ours is on a 2-weekly collection).

45l compostable bags are available but I would imagine harder to source & more expensive than higher volume <10l compostable/biodegradable which are available in most supermarkets.

Screwdriva

Home Compostable bag => small brown compost bin
Compostable => larger rubbish bin. Will decompose within a year. 
Biodegradable => larger rubbish bin. Will take much longer to degrade.

waqasahmed

QrizB said:

We use paper bags in our compost bin (oe sometimes, just brown kraft paper). Would they be acceptable to your council?

They just say that you can put compostable bags in there, but they haven't said anything else

What You Need To Put In Each Bin (tameside.gov.uk)

Also, I swear they have the most complex bin schedule known to anyone. I've never lived here before, but I am moving there

waqasahmed

BUFF said:

Compostable or biodegradable bags are generally used to hold your food waste. Most people hopefully are trying to cut down on food waste nor want to have large amounts of that in their houses so do you really need 45l bags/bin for that (most have a smaller kitchen caddy)?

I eat a lot of fruit. Not much I can do with bananas skins, or onion peels lol

BUFF

Screwdriva said:

Biodegradable => larger rubbish bin. Will take much longer to degrade.

The ones that I use (from a supermarket) are visibly going within the 2 weeks (max) that they are in my garden waste bin. Also, my council recommends biodegradable (compostable wrappings etc. also go in garden waste bin).

waqasahmed said:

BUFF said:

Compostable or biodegradable bags are generally used to hold your food waste. Most people hopefully are trying to cut down on food waste nor want to have large amounts of that in their houses so do you really need 45l bags/bin for that (most have a smaller kitchen caddy)?

I eat a lot of fruit. Not much I can do with bananas skins, or onion peels lol

OK, but you aren't going to create 45l of banana skins/onion peels in 1 or 2 weeks.