Council shares little-known trick to avoid paying for food caddy bags

Дата публикации: 25-07-2026 05:30:00

Some councils provide free replacements when the food caddy liners run out but if they don't there is a way to cut costs

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Some councils provide free replacements when the food caddy liners run out but if they don't there is a way to cut costs

With new rules rolled out this year giving separate food waste collections for households across the country, millions of people are adjusting to using kitchen food caddies. But while sorting your scraps is great for the environment, buying the bags to line your bin isn't always great for your wallet.

While some local authorities provide free biodegradable bags, many require residents to buy their own once the initial supply runs out. At around £2 for a roll of 20, the recurring cost has left plenty of households frustrated.

However, you might not actually need to buy them at all. Depending on the rules at your local authority there could be a free way to line your food caddy and save the cost of replacements.

The "any bag" solution

Darlington Borough Council (DBC) took to Facebook to share a little-known, money-saving tip - you can line your food caddy with almost any standard plastic bag, everyday bin liner, or even newspaper. While it sounds completely counterintuitive to mix plastic with compostable food, Darlington isn't alone. Many other councils including the Scottish Borders, Devon County, City of Lincoln, and Sandwell all accept standard plastic bags in their food waste bins.

DBC explained: "Did you know you can use any plastic bag, bin liner or even newspaper to line your food caddy? When you have run out of the free biodegradable liners we provided with your caddy, there are a number of things you can use." It set these out telling residents:

• A plastic bag (it doesn’t have to be biodegradable as the bags are removed at the treatment plant – even an old bread bag can work!)
• Bin liners (most supermarkets sell small liners, again they don’t have to be biodegradable)
• Newspaper – just be aware you will need to clean your outside bin after it is emptied to prevent smells.

It added: "Thank you for all your efforts in recycling your food waste - we are collecting more tonnes of recycling each week which is all waste that is avoiding landfill. Food waste is turned into energy to power homes and businesses, fuel and fertiliser for local farms. Your waste really can do wonders!"

How does it work?

If you use a regular plastic bag, it doesn't end up in the compost. According to the City of Lincoln Council, specialised machines at the anaerobic digestion plants rip open and remove the plastic bags before the food waste is processed. It explained: "At the processing plant, the first step is to remove the bags using a specialised machine, allowing you to use any bag as a liner.

"After they have been removed at the anaerobic digestion plant, the bags are sent to the Energy from Waste facility, where they’re used to generate energy. They would normally go there anyway in your black bin, but this way they’ve had a second life as a food waste liner first.

"Using a liner helps keep your caddy clean and makes it easier to empty, so a great option is to reuse plastic bags you already have at home."

Everyday items you can use as liners

If your local authority allows it this means instead of buying specialised compostable bags, you can repurpose plastic packaging you already have lying around the house. According to Scottish Borders Council these include:

• kitchen roll or newspaper
• compostable kitchen caddy liners can be purchased from many local retailers and online outlets
• re-use plastic bags which would otherwise be thrown out such as bread, salad or cereal bags, thin plastic bags, such as sandwich bags - they don't need to be clean,carrier bags which are nearing the end of their usefulness
• place food waste loose into the caddy - food waste can be placed loose into the indoor and outdoor caddy
• plastic bags, such as small pedal bin liners

But it urged: "Please do not use black bin liners, or plastic tubs, pots or trays."

Check your local rules

Before you start using the Darlington Council tip, you must check your specific local authority's guidelines. Not all recycling facilities use the same processing technology. Councils such as Stockport, and Rochdale have very strict rules that forbid standard plastic and require only certified compostable bags.

Stockport Council explicitly warns residents against using standard "biodegradable" supermarket bags, noting that they do not compost and instead just break down into harmful microplastics. Some, such as Middlesbrough Council and Stockton Council, do not allow normal or plastic bags but will replace the liners free of charge.

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