What Is the Difference Between a Regular Trash Bag & One for a Trash Compactor?
Regular trash bags and compactor trash bags differ in how they are used and the type of material used to make the bags. Compactors are one way to reduce the amount of garbage that ends up at the curb for collection. You could have three plastic bags, or you could have one compactor bag. Does this Spark an idea?
-
Trash Compactor Bags
-
Trash compactor bags have a moisture barrier liner inside that prevents garbage and any moisture from leaking through the bag to the compactor bin. Most bags have a cuff around the top of the bag that fits over the rim of the compactor bin to hold the bag in place. Bags are square-shaped when opened in the bin. Trash compactor bags are durable and will not rip or fall apart during the compacting process.
Regular Garbage Bags
-
Regular plastic or paper garbage bags will tear when the garbage is compacted. Paper bags will leak moisture into the compactor bin, which makes a mess. If you don’t plan to use the compactor to compact garbage, but you need somewhere to put the garbage, you can use regular trash bags in the compactor. You can't compact the garbage, so you need to unplug the unit to prevent the compactor from starting.
-
Compactor Functions
-
According to Broan, six bags of garbage can be reduced to one bag by using a trash compactor and bag, but this depends on the amount of garbage you have to compact. When the compactor bag is at least half full, you turn on the unit so that it compacts the garbage. When the compacting function is done, that garbage is compacted tightly so that it fills only the bottom of the bag. As you add garbage and continue to compact it, you cut down on the amount of garbage you take to the curb for trash pickup.
What Not to Compact
-
Although trash compactor bags are strong and durable against moisture leaks and rips, there are some things that will damage the bags. If you compact a lot of glass, you risk the bag tearing if the jagged glass is compacted near the sides of the bag. Compactors put pressure on the garbage and are not meant to be used to compact aerosol cans, combustible materials and containers that have held insecticides, paint thinner, lighter fluid or paint.
-
