10 Easy DIY Ideas To Reduce Plastic Trash Bags At Home

by Team RL Stewart | Jan 24, 2018 | Compost, DIY, Recycle, Reduce

Trash Day

It is marked on the calendar clear as day…”Garbage Day.” That time of the week is here again, so we better go gather up all the plastic trash bags from the kitchen, bathrooms, office and bedrooms. Oh, and don’t forget the garbage out in the laundry room and outdoor living area….screeeeeeech. Hold it, that sure seems like a lot of plastic bags. Let’s do the math and see just how many plastic bags we are throwing in the trash each week.

How Many Plastic Trash Bags

Start with 3 bedrooms plus 2.5 baths equals 6 plastic bags. Add the kitchen, office, laundry room and outdoor living area and now we are up to 10 plastic bags. Wow, so let me get this right. 10 plastic bags 4 times a month equals 40. In one year that is 480 plastic bags thrown in the trash.

Waste Management Options

While our calculation may not reflect your exact weekly plastic trash bag amount, it gives you an idea of how many are sent to the landfill on a pretty regular basis. It sure seems like a lot, so let’s get to it and find some eco-friendly waste management options.and help reduce non-biodegradable land waste.

Waste management alternate options to trash bags in landfills

Reduce Plastic Garbage Bag Liners

Over the years, many cities have been enforcing the ‘no plastic bag’ law in markets and retail stores, which many of us were doing long before the law was introduced. But what if your local garbage services had a ‘no plastic bag’ law?

Plastic trash bags are made from either low or high-density polyethylene creating a tough, water-proof flexible container. When properly recycled, they are used to build items like playground toys, park benches, and decking. We completed a random, anonymous poll and discovered many people believe when their trash is picked up by their local garbage service, it gets sorted and separated for recycling. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Trash bags are not recycled once they get picked up. But not to worry, we are here to provide some alternative ideas to help reduce this extra waste as well as prepare for the possibility of a ‘no plastic trash bag’ law for landfills.