Ethically Kate: Are compostable bin liners better than normal liners?

Even though compostable bin liners sound like the right thing to do, they’re far from the best thing to line your rubbish bin with. Photo / 123rf

OPINION

Q: Compostable bin liners are so expensive, but I really want to do the right thing. Are they better than normal liners? What else could I do?

A: I remember when plastic bags were banned in 2019 and everyone panicked because they didn’t know what they were going to line their bins with! Since then I’ve seen a range of “compostable” bin liners flood the shelves, claiming to be the best thing for the planet. Even though compostable bin liners sound like the right thing to do, unfortunately, they’re far from the best thing to line your rubbish bin with.

The language on compostable bin liners is incredibly misleading. Companies do a great job of tricking you into thinking the bin liner will break down in landfills and leave you with a clear conscience. But landfills are not the place for things, compostable or not, to decompose. Landfills are highly compacted spaces with no oxygen or airflow. To help you understand what I mean, lettuce can survive in landfills for decades because it isn’t in the right environment to break down into soil. Composting conditions require carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen to be present, plus healthy microorganisms help break organic matter down too. This lovely balance of elements does not exist in a landfill. Your compostable bin liner is not a sustainable option.

Ditch bin liners altogether. Photo / 123rf

This is the same for paper bin liners, paper bags, and DIY newspaper bin liners. So what should you do instead? Ditch bin liners altogether. A bin is designed to hold your rubbish; putting something else in it to do the same purpose is superfluous. If you’re worried about smells, find a different rubbish bin that you can seal straight after you put something into it. When you empty your rubbish bin into your kerbside bag or bin, wash and dry it before filling it again. If you compost your food scraps and recycle responsibly, your bin will not need to be washed! Without organic matter in your bin, your rubbish will be clean and dry.

I realise the thought of ditching a bin liner may make some people gag a little. If that’s you and you simply cannot break up with bin liners, the next best thing to do is line your bin with something you were already going to put in the rubbish. A plastic bread bag, chip packets, or packaging from a new appliance. Save these up and use them as mini bin liners. Whatever you do, don’t waste your precious money on expensive bin liners that are not better for the planet.