We’ve all seen the heartbreaking photos of the fatal effect plastic can have on wildlife, and we know that it stays in landfill  forever – so why do we keep using it? Just like conventional disposable nappies, plastic bin liners have a devastating effect on the environment. While swapping out your nappies for sustainable, ecofriendly nappies like Cuddlies is an easy fix, households looking to reduce their impact on the environment often have trouble finding an ecofriendly alternative for plastic bin liners.

Here are four alternatives to single use plastic bin liners to make your household more ecofriendly.

1. Reuse Bags Already in Circulation

This is our least favourite as unfortunately these bags will still end up in landfill, where they can take up to 1000 years to decompose. However, reusing existing plastic bags minimises your contribution by repurposing a bag that’s already in circulation instead of adding another.

2. Use Postage Satchels or Boxes

In the age of home delivery, many companies (including Cuddlies) use biodegradable postage satchels and boxes. If you’re already composting your food waste and recycling, it’s likely that your household doesn’t generate a lot of other waste! If this is the case, it may be viable to reuse satchels or boxes you’ve received in the mail. While some parcels may arrive in conventional plastic, again, at least you are repurposing instead of creating new waste to reduce your plastic footprint.

3. Have a Nude Bin

Similar to option 2, if you’ve already taken steps to reduce your household’s waste, you might be able to get away with having no bin liner at all! Simply empty your household bin into your wheelie bin for collection and give it a wash. You can ward against “icky” smells by wrapping waste in newspaper first, freezing wet scraps until bin day or home composting your food scraps. As an added benefit, composting helps food scraps deteriorate instead of producing methane from anaerobic landfill.

4. Use a Compostable Bin Liner

Compostable bin liners are typically made from plant-based materials like corn starch and will completely break down over time. While biodegradable bin liners might sound good, it’s important to check the claims that manufacturers make as there are no guidelines on the term “biodegradable” and many of these biodegradable bin liners simply break down into smaller pieces of plastic, which persist in the environment and work their way up the food chain. Look for products that are 100% biodegradable and consist entirely of plant-based materials.