What Are Garbage Bags

Types of Garbage Bags: A Comprehensive Analysis from Basic Functions to Professional Applications

In the waste management systems of daily life and industrial production, garbage bags, as seemingly ordinary yet crucial consumables, directly impact hygiene safety, operational efficiency, and even environmental protection outcomes. With the continuous development of material science and application demands, garbage bags have evolved from single-function products into a diverse range of specialized categories. This article systematically analyzes the main types of garbage bags, delving into their core components—material, specifications, color, functional design, and other dimensions.

I. Classification by Material: The Foundation of Performance and Use

Material is the primary factor determining the physical properties, environmental adaptability, and eco-friendliness of garbage bags.

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Garbage Bags

Material Characteristics: HDPE is a non-polar thermoplastic resin with high crystallinity, featuring a linear and regularly arranged molecular structure. This gives HDPE garbage bags high rigidity and hardness.

Appearance and Feel: Typically translucent or milky white, with a crisp texture and a rustling sound when crumpled.

Performance Characteristics:

Advantages: Light and thin texture, low cost; excellent moisture resistance and anti-static properties; resistant to deformation with good support.

Disadvantages: Relatively poor tensile strength and toughness, prone to puncturing or tearing when carrying sharp objects.

Primary Applications: Suitable for offices, classrooms, hotel rooms, and other places generating dry, lightweight waste, often used for small desktop trash bins.

Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Garbage Bags

Material Characteristics: LDPE has a molecular structure with more branches, irregular arrangement, and lower crystallinity.

Appearance and Feel: High transparency, soft texture, with good flexibility and elasticity.

Performance Characteristics:

Advantages: Excellent extensibility, impact resistance, and tear strength, effectively wrapping sharp objects without breaking; good leak-proof performance.

Disadvantages: Insufficient hardness, prone to overstretching and deformation when lifted alone after filling; cost is usually slightly higher than HDPE.

Primary Applications: Household kitchens, bathrooms, the catering industry, etc., for containing wet waste, food waste, and irregularly shaped debris.

Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) Garbage Bags

Material Characteristics: LLDPE is a variant of LDPE, with a linear main chain and short branches, combining the strength of HDPE and the flexibility of LDPE.

Performance Characteristics:

Advantages: This is the most mainstream material on the market with optimal comprehensive performance. It exhibits extremely high puncture, tear, and tensile resistance (often reflected in "stretch film" technology). At the same thickness, its load-bearing capacity far exceeds that of LDPE and HDPE. It also maintains good softness and sealing properties.

Disadvantages: Higher production process requirements.

Primary Applications: Covers almost all scenarios, from household large-capacity garbage bags to industrial heavy-duty garbage bags. LLDPE is the preferred material. Market products advertised as "thickened" or "strong" are mostly made of LLDPE or composite materials primarily based on it.

Biodegradable Plastic Garbage Bags

Material Characteristics: Main components include polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA/PBAT), etc., or traditional polyethylene with added starch-based or photo-oxygen degradation agents.

Performance Characteristics:

Advantages: Can ultimately decompose into carbon dioxide and water under specific conditions (e.g., high temperature, humidity, and microbial environments in industrial composting), making them more environmentally friendly.

Disadvantages: Mechanical strength is generally inferior to traditional PE bags; high cost; stringent degradation conditions—if mixed into ordinary landfill waste, they may not degrade effectively and could cause pollution.

Primary Applications: Mainly used for food waste/wet waste collection in urban classified waste systems, and for specific activities or venues with strict environmental requirements.

II. Classification by Specifications and Capacity: Adapting to Diverse Storage Needs

Garbage bag specifications are typically defined by dimensions (length × width) and thickness ("denier," 1 denier = 0.01 mm), with capacity measured in liters (L).

Small Garbage Bags (3L - 20L)

Characteristics: Thickness usually ranges from 0.005mm to 0.01mm (0.5 to 1 denier).

Applications: Suitable for desktops or small pedal bins in bedrooms, studies, and offices, for containing dry waste like paper scraps and packaging.

Medium Garbage Bags (20L - 60L)

Characteristics: Thickness ranges from 0.01mm to 0.015mm (1 to 1.5 denier), often made of LLDPE to ensure strength.

Applications: The most commonly used specification in households, especially for kitchen and living room bins, capable of holding daily food waste and other household garbage.

Large and Extra-Large Capacity Garbage Bags (60L - 240L and above)

Characteristics: Thickness from 0.015mm (1.5 denier) to 0.05mm (5 denier) or more, often featuring drawstring designs for easy closing and carrying.

Applications: Suitable for public areas, shopping malls, school dormitories, hospital wards, as well as household deep cleaning and yard cleaning. Specifications of 120L and above are commonly used in centralized waste collection points in communities or commercial areas.

III. Classification by Color and Labeling: Functional and Standardized Management

Color is not only about aesthetics but also carries meanings of functional differentiation and standardized management.

Universal Colors (Black, White, Transparent)

Black: The most common, offering good concealment to hide messy contents, maintaining visual cleanliness. Widely used for general household waste.

White/Semi-Transparent: Often used for HDPE bags, allowing quick identification of contents, suitable for occasions where visibility is needed, such as document rooms or specific hospital departments.

Transparent: Mainly used in places requiring strict monitoring of waste types, such as airport security or specific factory workshops.

Classification Colors (Following National or Regional Standards)

In many regions with mandatory waste classification, garbage bag colors are clearly defined:

Recyclables (Blue): For plastics, paper, glass, metals, and other recyclable waste.

Food Waste/Wet Waste (Green/Brown): Specifically for collecting food scraps, fruit peels, and other perishable waste.

Hazardous Waste (Red): For batteries, light bulbs, expired medications, and other waste potentially harmful to the environment and health.

Other Waste/Dry Waste (Gray/Black/Yellow): For mixed waste not falling into the above categories.

IV. Classification by Functional Design: Enhancing User Experience and Operational Efficiency

Modern garbage bag designs increasingly focus on user-friendliness and functionality.

Flat-Opening Garbage Bags

Design: The simplest basic style, with no special treatment at the opening.

Advantages: Lowest cost, wide applicability.

Disadvantages: Relatively inconvenient for bin fitting and closing.

Vest-Style Garbage Bags (Handled)

Design: Features handles on both sides of the opening, resembling a vest.

Advantages: Easy to close, with even force distribution when carrying, preventing hand strain. One of the most popular designs for households.

Drawstring Garbage Bags (Pull-String)

Design: Built-in dual drawstrings at the opening, allowing quick tightening with a pull.

Advantages: Best sealing, effectively preventing odor release and liquid leakage; very convenient for carrying, especially suitable for heavy or leak-prone waste.

Disadvantages: Slightly higher cost.

Scented/Antibacterial Garbage Bags

Design: Incorporated with fragrances or antibacterial masterbatches during production.

Advantages: Can mask waste odors to some extent and inhibit bacterial growth, particularly suitable for kitchens and bathrooms.

Specialized Garbage Bags

Medical Garbage Bags: Strictly adhere to medical waste disposal regulations, typically yellow with clear biohazard symbols, offering high strength and leak resistance.

Industrial Heavy-Duty Garbage Bags: Made from thickened LLDPE or composite materials, with extremely high puncture resistance and load-bearing capacity, used for construction waste, factory scraps, etc.

Conclusion

Choosing garbage bags is a discipline combining practical needs, scientific knowledge, and environmental responsibility. From HDPE to LLDPE, flat-opening to drawstring, universal black to classified colors, each type responds precisely to specific application scenarios. As consumers or purchasers, fully understanding the types and characteristics of garbage bags not only enhances the quality and efficiency of life and work but also plays a vital role in promoting scientific waste management and resource utilization. In the context of "zero-waste cities" and the circular economy, selecting a "suitable" garbage bag holds significance far beyond the product itself.