Greens Bin Bags - Is It Just Me or Do They Suck?

jm1v07 on 01/02/2025 - 14:40

I've got this massive pet peeve with greens bin bags. Putting aside the discussion of whether separating into greens bins or not is good/worthwhile, I have been trying out 4 different types of greens bags so far and they all totally suck. To the extent that very OzB unlike, I'd happily spend double or more the amount per bag to solve this hassle.

My must-haves:
- Easy to install / remove in the standard 8L greens bins
- Thick enough that they don't break when being carried
- Liquid resistant enought for the ≈4-7 days of use that they don't break when more juicy greens sit in it for a few days
- Suitably compostable

My nice-to-haves (but optional!)
- An easy close mechanism to avoid the fussing around with trying to knot it up or carrying half open bags to the bin
- Ways to avoid edges slipping into the greens bin: e.g solid grip and/or elastic around the side, or just suitably oversized
- An absorbant pad / tissue material on the outside so that if any moisture escapes it's sucked up
- Some scenting, coz we're talking about nice-to-haves and why not
- Maybe some sensibleness on price, because OzB etc.

Open for product recommendations for people that have solved this, being told to toughen up and just eat all my greens waste, or similar…

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Benoffie on 01/02/2025 - 14:49

    Honestly, I just put all my stuff in a bowl then toss it out in the yard.

    Otherwise, if uding the little benchtop council bin, the Glad or Hercules compost bags hold up ok so long as you dont overfill and dont put liquids in them

    https://www.salisbury.sa.gov.au/council/news-media-and-publi…

    • original15 on 01/02/2025 - 15:19
      +1

      Do the rats love it?

      • Benoffie on 01/02/2025 - 16:59
        +1

        Yes and no. Rats (and we're talking native rats, fruit rats) actually dont tend to rummage on ground compost much. Fruit trees they love, especially if by a fence.
        Mainly birds will have a crack for the first 1-2 days, then bugs, then birds for bugs. After a week, it's gone.

  • Gdsamp on 01/02/2025 - 14:57
    +4

    bin bags

    Throwing money away

    • AustriaBargain on 01/02/2025 - 16:18
      +6

      I had a housemate that was convinced bin liners were a waste of money and proved it to me by showing on the council website that they aren't necessary. The bin started stinking after just a few weeks and after a few months it was so bad that we made him wash it. The smell was so bad he vomited while doing it.

      • outlander on 02/02/2025 - 11:33

        When the bin is emptied, fill it with a layer of prunings/weeds/dry lawn clippings. That way all the wet stuff doesn't reach the bottom and stick to it

        It's really not complicated

  • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2025 - 15:01
    +1

    Most of our organic waste goes into a worm farm. Things like egg shells, onion, orange peel etc we put directly into the bin. If we are throwing out scrap meat, bones, etc we freeze them and dump them into the bin the morning of, or night before, the bins are collected. We then just hose out them into bins regularly. So far so good.

    • JimmyF on 01/02/2025 - 15:45
      -1

      By bin for the meat, you been the FOGO bin?

      • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2025 - 16:45

        Green bin. Our council accepts bones and meat.

        • JimmyF on 01/02/2025 - 16:47
          -1

          Green bin is dead, long live the FOGO bin! :)

  • MS Paint on 01/02/2025 - 15:13
    +4

    We have a rabbit that converts green waste to small round brown pellets. These pellets then just get spread over the garden.

    • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2025 - 15:40
      +1

      Our rabbit used to escape and we ended up with a warren under the house.

    • AustriaBargain on 01/02/2025 - 16:31

      How on Earth did you train a rabbit to use a pellet press? That's amazing.

      • MS Paint on 01/02/2025 - 16:31
        +1

        Patience, persistence and a lot of love.

      • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2025 - 16:44

        We trained ours to, mostly, use a cat tray. The real problem is the little buggers eat everything including power cords.

    • GordonD on 01/02/2025 - 19:48
      +4

      Neighbors had a rabbit. It converted all their food waste into rabbit meat. And that became food for the fox that comes into the suburb from the wetlands.

      • try2bhelpful on 01/02/2025 - 19:53

        We have friends who had chickens that did the same.

        • skillet on 04/02/2025 - 11:35

          Hens are better so you don't have deal with eggs shortages or moving the lawn.

  • original15 on 01/02/2025 - 15:20
    +1

    Our council delivers green waste bags, my only gripe with them is they aren’t wave or handle tie top. Makes tying them up a pain, esp if over filled. IMO, no perfect solution would exist, and it’s on you to not over fill and to monitor edges not slipping in. But still, annoying, we overfill ours still etc

  • JimmyF on 01/02/2025 - 15:46
    +1
    • Liquid resistant enought for the ≈4-7 days of use that they don't break when more juicy greens sit in it for a few days
    • Suitably compostable

    These two things don't go hand in hand.

    Your issue isn't the bags as much, it is leaving moist items in the bags that breaks them down.

    • jm1v07 on 02/02/2025 - 20:53

      These two things don't go hand in hand.

      Fair point, though wonder if it's possible to make them sturdy enough to last just that bit longer (and prob fine to take that bit longer to compost)…

  • 87percent on 01/02/2025 - 15:49

    No idea where you are, but I’m in Monash Council in Melbourne, and the bin liners they sell at the libraries are really good. They’re strong, they fit the bin perfectly

  • AnneThrope on 01/02/2025 - 16:18
    +2

    Make a liner from newspaper and take the entire caddy out to the bin?

    I've been doing this for years without issue.
    Caddy gets a hose out now and then, plus a more thorough clean a couple of times a year.

    For example;
    www.hobartcity.com.au/files/assets/public/v/2/residents/recy…

    • Lastchancetosee on 02/02/2025 - 07:48

      This is the way.

    • Euphemistic on 02/02/2025 - 08:49
      +1

      Except need to go buy newspapers!

      • AnneThrope on 02/02/2025 - 09:27

        I've actually been using butcher's paper we used during a house move - it was under a cent a sheet and is almost exhausted after 3 years - supplemented by the small local community newspaper.
        I may have to source a newspaper (haven't done so in about 8 years) if all other sources dry up.
        If I can't wrangle a freebie from the local newsagent, a weekend edition will provide many dozens of liners for a couple of bucks.

      • Coffeedilmahh on 02/02/2025 - 10:18

        Just grab a bunch of free community newspapers that you can pick up from your local shopping centre

  • Euphemistic on 01/02/2025 - 18:56
    +1

    We get our green bin bags delivered from council. Yes, they arent thick and do start to break down by the end of a week. If im putting them in for more than 2 days, i use two. That helps.

    Averaging just over 2 per week have not run out before the next batch is delivered.

    • Lastchancetosee on 02/02/2025 - 07:49
      +1

      Ditto. We've also found that over time they get more friable if not used.

  • cgupta03 on 02/02/2025 - 19:02
    +1

    Why you tried using this brand? A lot better than the home brand in terms of durability.

    https://www.coles.com.au/product/glad-to-be-green-compostabl…

    • jm1v07 on 02/02/2025 - 20:59
      +1

      Good pointer - appreciate it. I'm reasonably sure this was one of the ones I've tried, and it was a bit better than the free delivery one, though still not quite the level of longevity and stability I'd love. But pending no other secret product reccs I'll prob end up sticking with some mix of this and/or newspaper.

  • rowanb1 on 04/02/2025 - 01:29
    +1

    These are pretty good: https://biobagworld.com.au/product/biobag-8l-roll-of-75-bags…

    I double bag, and line the bottom with paper towel to help absorb any liquid.

    • jm1v07 on 04/02/2025 - 10:03

      Much appreciated - will give these a go!

  • skillet on 04/02/2025 - 11:33

    I hose down my green bin every week otherwise it stinks really bad especially in the summer. My council wont let me use liners for the green bin but I have no space to compost my food scraps so hosing it down is my only option. I have been doing this for 5 months. Give it a try no detergent required.

  • lainey13 on 13/02/2025 - 15:02
    +1

    Just buy slightly bigger compostable bags with handles. Bunnings sell them, the handles are handy for tying them close when you've overfilled the bin
    https://www.bunnings.com.au/maze-18l-compostable-bin-liners-…

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