Can liners are the most commonly mis-ordered product in the janitorial category. Too thin and they split on the way out. Too big and you’re paying for plastic that ends up folded over the rim. Both are avoidable with a tape measure and two minutes.
Measuring a round bin
Flat width = the bin’s circumference ÷ 2. Measure around the outside at its widest point and halve it.
Length = the bin’s height + roughly half its diameter + 3 to 4 inches of overhang.
The half-diameter accounts for the bottom of the bag sitting flat; the overhang is what folds over the rim to hold it in place. Skip the overhang and staff will double-bag to compensate.
Measuring a square or rectangular bin
Flat width = the width + the depth of the bin.
Length = the height + half the depth + 3 to 4 inches of overhang.
LLDPE or HDPE
Two different plastics for two different kinds of waste, and this is where most of the waste happens.
- LLDPE (linear low-density)
- Stretches. It resists punctures and tearing from sharp or irregular objects, so it’s right for construction debris, broken glass, cans, kitchen waste and anything heavy or awkward. Measured in mils.
- HDPE (high-density)
- Stiffer, and resists abrasion and slicing, but has little stretch — a sharp point will go straight through it. Right for paper, office waste, washroom waste, light general rubbish. Measured in microns.
Using HDPE where LLDPE belongs is the single most common cause of split bags. The bag isn’t faulty; it’s the wrong plastic.
Gauge
Thickness is a trade-off against cost, and heavier is not always better.
- Light (roughly 0.5–0.7 mil LLDPE / 6–8 micron HDPE) — paper, office waste, washroom
- Medium (0.8–1.2 mil / 10–14 micron) — general use, most kitchens
- Heavy (1.5 mil and up / 16 micron and up) — construction debris, glass, wet or heavy waste
If bags are splitting, check the plastic type before stepping up the gauge. Switching from HDPE to LLDPE at the same thickness often solves it at no extra cost.
What oversizing costs
A liner six inches too long on a bin emptied twice a day, five days a week, wastes a meaningful amount of plastic over a year, plus the cost difference on every case.
It’s worth measuring each bin type on site once and writing it down. Most buildings have three or four bin sizes and order one liner for all of them.
If you’d rather not do that walk yourself, it’s part of what we do on a site assessment.