New Zealand has made the awesome move to get rid of single use plastic bags as of 1 July 2019. The only problem is that a lot of people are dependent on them for all sorts of things and are going to be left scratching their heads and wondering what to do. One of the biggest concerns that I’ve heard from people is “what do I line my bin with now?” I would hate for you to go out and buy extra plastic just to line your bin with so here are a few of my top tips.
First of all, don’t panic! Remember that it can take a while to get used to any change so keep at it for a few months and don’t be scared to try a few ways of doing things to see what works for you.
No liner
In Auckland, you don’t need your rubbish to be in individual bags within your kerbside bin. Check what your local regulations are – you may be able to skip the liner in your home bins altogether. We’ve done this on occasion, and all you need to do is give your bin a quick hose and a scrub once you’ve transferred your waste to your kerbside bin. This is definitely the most environmentally friendly option! Depending on what you put out in your bin, this has the potential to get a bit gross.
Reusable liners
This is my number one pick! We use a reusable bin liner at home, we have 2 so that they can be rotated when they need to be washed. We separate our compostables out which does make a big difference in reducing the ick factor. These just get a quick hose or a rinse out when needed (often only every second empty) and then a run through the washing machine with other cleaning rags.
Newspaper liners
If you already get a newspaper, you could have a go at making a newspaper bin liner. Please don’t go out and buy a newspaper for this purpose. This is one of the worst options, but an option nonetheless. Here is an instructables link on how to make them: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Bin-liner-Our-of-Newspaper/ Keep in mind that paper doesn’t degrade in landfill, and if it does it will contribute to methane production, which I’m sure we’d all rather avoid. The bag won’t hold much weight, and it will rip apart if it even gets slightly damp. So although it’s often touted as an eco friendly option, it’s not really a win at all. It’s also super time consuming and fiddly – I’d go for a naked bin any day!
Get composting
If you’re not able to compost at home, I strongly recommend signing up to Sharewaste to keep your food scraps out of landfill. If you have a space in your garden and would like to start composting but don’t know how, get in touch and I’d love to talk you through some tips and send you some links to great resources. A Bokashi Bin is an amazing option that can take a much bigger variety of foods, including cooked foods, meat, breads, etc. It’s not something that I do at the moment but it’s definitely something I’d consider – so have a look into it and see if it could work for you. https://www.zingbokashi.co.nz/compostzing-system/
For super gross stuff
If we need to get rid of anything particularly yuck or wet (think chicken skin, or that rice that we forgot in the back of the fridge) we either take it straight to the kerbside bin or transfer it to a bag from my stash of other bags that wouldn’t be much good for anything else. With soft plastic recycling being a little bit up in the air and having reduced collection points now, some of these bags are perfect, e.g. the bags that frozen veggies or your favourite chips come in. I know it’s not ideal (still using plastic, still sending it to landfill) but it’s about compromise and mindfulness, not perfection. These are things that I would have often double bagged before anyway, so we’re still using less than we would have previously.
So don’t be scared – there are options, and you will be surprised at how quickly it will become your new normal. Humans are very adaptable, which is a good thing, because we really need to be right now!
I’d love to hear if you’ve tried any of these, or plan to give them a go soon.
