Is it better to use re-usable shopping bags and buy bin bags? Or use plastic bags and re-use them as bin bags?

[DuffyFluckling]

What do you think?

buy bin bags... I think you can get biodegradable?

bin bags are made of recycled low-grade plastic, so use up plastic waste that otherwise doesn't get used. Tend to be thinner and lighter than carrier bags (the ones for small bins), too.

But there's not much difference. Main result in countries where they charge for all carrier bags is a big reduction in litter, rather than less plastic being used.

I used to get all of my carrier bags from the co-op, I would use them until they were almost falling apart or had a hole and then team them up with another to use as a binbag - they are 100% biodegradeable so I figured I was doing the best of both.

Wouldn't it be better if all the supermarkets were using the thin biodegradeable ones rather than the thick plastic non-biodegradeable ones for repeat use or am I a bit nuts here? When the thick "bag for life" ones get a hole you take them back and get a new one, but when I asked the staff what they do with them I was told they bin them surely that defeats the point??????

Neither, just pick up bags hanging around your local bottle bank, there will be heaps that are clean enough to take home and use to line your own bin.

Actually, I use cereal bags in our bin, and then double wrap them inside other used cereal bags. So we don't need bin liners at all. But it does require paying attention to how things go in the bin -- and we compost, which reduces some of the wet waste.

biodegradable bin bags

check out this website for all types of bags including degradable nappy sacks www.ecoproductstoday.co.uk