The council leaflet says plastic bags are fine in the food caddy. The same leaflet says never put plastic bags in the recycling bin. Residents find this confusing, and retailers who stock caddy liners get asked about it.
The two rules fit together once you see what each plant does with a bag. In food waste the bag is a container that gets stripped out early. In mixed recycling, loose film is a contaminant that stops machines. Local rules vary, so always check your area, but this is the general logic.
The two streams side by side
| Food waste caddy | Mixed recycling bin | |
|---|---|---|
| What the bag does | Keeps the caddy clean and holds wet scraps together | Nothing useful; it is loose film |
| What the plant does | Opens and removes bags at a de-packaging stage | Sorts with screens, conveyors and rotating discs |
| Effect of the film | Separated and sent for energy recovery or disposal | Wraps around shafts, clogs screens, contaminates paper bales |
| Result | Food goes on to anaerobic digestion or composting | Line stoppages and lower-value output |
Inside a food waste plant
At many processing sites, one of the first machines opens the bags and pulls the plastic away from the organic material. The bag was never meant to be recycled with the food. It just needed to survive the trip from kitchen to plant without leaking.
This is why some councils have stopped recommending compostable liners. Where the plant removes all packaging anyway, the compostable property adds little. These liners can also break down more slowly than food, damp ones can wrap around equipment, and they usually cost residents more than reusing a bread bag or carrier bag they already have. Other areas still require compostable liners, often because their plant processes the liner with the food. Both positions make sense for the plant in question.
Why film stays out of the recycling bin
Material recovery facilities are built for rigid items and paper. Thin film is light and flexible, so it behaves like string in the machinery, and lines have to stop for staff to cut it free. It also ends up in bales of card and paper, which lowers their value.
Recycling is a business too. Sorted material has to be sold to reprocessors, and household film is often dirty and mixed. Buyers for it are harder to find, and shifts in international markets for recovered plastic have made that harder still. So for old bags at home: reuse them first, take worn ones to a store film drop-off where one exists, and otherwise put them in general waste.
Supplying caddy liners: what to specify
- Size: kitchen caddies are small, so size liners for the common caddy models in your market with a little overhang.
- Film: LDPE or LLDPE resists punctures from bones and shells; HDPE gives a thin, economical bag for lighter scraps.
- Seal: wet waste tests the bottom seal before anything else. Star seal bags on roll spread the load and are a popular format.
- Compliance: where compostable liners are required, look at biodegradable bags and confirm the standard the council names.
- Packing: perforated rolls in small retail boxes suit supermarkets; bulk cartons suit facility managers.
If a market requires compostable caddy liners, we usually suggest confirming the exact standard and the logo the council expects to see, EN 13432 in much of Europe for example, before the artwork is finalised. A reprint because a certification mark is missing costs far more than the check. For plain polyethylene liners, a useful step is to agree the roll count and perforation spacing early, since shoppers notice a roll that tears off unevenly.
From the Hanpak team
Hanpak has supplied export customers for more than 20 years, in over 50 countries including the US, Europe, Japan and Korea. We work on FOB, CIF or CFR terms, with payment by T/T or L/C, and send production photos while your order runs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any plastic bag go in a food waste caddy?
Only where the local authority allows it. Some accept any plastic bag; others require compostable liners. The council website will say which.
Are plastic bags in food waste recycled?
Generally not. They are separated from the food at the plant and usually go for energy recovery or disposal. Only the food becomes compost or biogas.
Talk to us about caddy liners
Browse the trash bag range and send us your caddy size, film and packing needs. You can request a quote or samples through the website or reach the team directly on WhatsApp.