Most people don’t think about trash bags much. But in professional or industrial settings, can liners – basically the pro term for trash bags – are some of the most important tools in any janitorial closet. Pick the wrong bag and the mess you just cleaned up ends up back on the floor. For construction or medical settings where sharp objects are used, the wrong bag could even hurt someone.

Sani-Chem offers a selection of can liners for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Picking the right one is easier than you might think.

Contents

If you expect trash in the liner to contain sharp objects, LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene) are a must. These ultra-flexible liners have high puncture and tear resistance, meaning they can handle broken glass, metal shards, and branches without breaking a sweat. LLDPE bags are also much more expensive.

So why would you ever need high density bags (HDPE)? HDPE bags are directionally strong, meaning they support very heavy loads without sharp objects. Think leaves, paper, that sort of thing. HDPE bags are also more leak resistant and have a higher temperature tolerance.

Gauge

Gauges for LLDPE and HDPE are handled differently.

• LLDPE Bags are measured in millimeter thickness. 1 millimeter is equivalent to 25.4 microns.
• HDPE Bags are thinner, and so are measured in microns instead.

For both types of bags, higher gauge materials can support heavier loads.