High Density and Low Density Garbage Bags – What Do You Choose?

Plastic garbage bags are a common sight in homes, offices, and all other types of manufacturing facilities. Although there is increased awareness about the use of plastic, the plastic garbage bags are here to stay. The reasons are their easy availability, affordability, and ease of handling. These garbage bags are distinguished as high density or low density garbage bags depending on their construction. Although many of us are familiar with these terms, there is less clarity on the differentiation between the two. This post analyzes these types and offers you insights on these types and also guides you on what to choose and when.

Major Differences Between High and Low Density Plastic Garbage Bags Uncovered

High and low density plastic garbage bags are made of linear low-density polyethylene or LDPE and high density polyethylene or HPDE. This material is known for its excellent strength and toughness. The following points will help you understand the difference between high and low density plastic garbage bags.

• Puncture Resistance: Low density garbage bags or LDPE bags are flexible, thick, and can resist tearing and puncturing. Against this, high density garbage bags have a different manufacturing process. They are produced at low temperatures using resins of high molecular density. This produces straight and tightly packed molecules, which adds to its directional strength but makes it thin, and less puncture resistant in comparison to its low density counterparts.
• Look and Feel: High density garbage bags look crinky and possess a clear appearance. They look stiff and produce crunchier sound. However, low-density bags look strong and thick. They are quieter compared to high density bags.
• Waste Carrying Capacity: Being durable and lasting, low-density garbage bags are used for carrying debris from the construction site, yard trash, and pointed kitchen waste including wood, glass, cardboard, and other jagged and irregular shaped items. As said before, high-density garbage bags are a lot thinner and not puncture-resistant, so they are widely used for carrying loads with no pointed edges. These include towels, clothing, dirt, shredded paper, office waste, and restroom waste. High-density garbage bags are used in commercial and residential kitchens because they can contain odors and offer moisture protection, too. Large-sized high-density bags are stronger than smaller ones.
• Measurement: Low-density garbage bags are measured in one-thousandth of an inch and expressed in mils (0.001 inch). The thicker bag will have a high mil count. Generally, these bags are available in mil counts ranging from 0.9 to 6.0 mil. Of these, 0.9 mil is ideal for kitchen waste and 6.0 mil for contractor bags that are used at construction sites to carry heavy debris.
  High-density garbage bags are measured in microns, which is one-thousandth of a millimeter. Grocery and recycling bags are two variants of this type of bag.

How to Choose the Right Garbage Bag for Your Application

Having known the characteristics of each of these bags, the selection may seem easier. However, that is not the case, you need to consider several factors when making a decision.

• Application Requirement: The choice between these bags will entirely depend on your application requirements. If you want a trash liner for your kitchen waste, perhaps, it is better to choose low-density bags. However, if you are looking for bags for your office waste, you must choose high-density bags.
• Type of Seal: High and low-density garbage bags are available with different seals. The term seal symbolizes the method by which the bags’ bottom layers are fused together. There are mainly three types of seals: star, flat, and gusset. The bottoms of the bags with star seals are blended several times and sealed. The bags with this type of sealing can easily fit into the container. The ends of gusset seal bags are tucked in, which makes them leakproof. This means you can easily line them in your trash cans to store wet trash. Flat seals are easy to spread and they do not collect any waste in them. Although these bags are easy to use, the main drawback is that they do not fit into trash bins easily.
• Carrying Capacity of a Waste Liners: Garbage bags or trash can liners are available in different strengths. Before making the selection, you need to check the carrying capacity of the liner. This understanding will come from the amount of waste that is generated every day at your facility.

In addition to these factors, quality is another requirement that is often overlooked. It is important to invest in a quality bag because if the bags tear away, cleaning the spillage may be difficult. To avoid this, it is important to source these bags from trusted suppliers like ANS Plastics. The company has been providing LDPE and HDPE garbage bags, as well as contractor trash bags for several years now.