Commercial, Guide, Product Spotlight
Commercial Bin Liners & Refuse Sacks: How to Choose the Right Size, Strength and Colour
Sep
This guide is for facilities managers, office managers, cleaning contractors and kitchen teams who order bin liners in bulk. You’ll learn how to:
- Measure any bin so the liner fits the first time
- Read duty ratings and understand what the weight on the box actually means
- Use sack colour to keep waste streams separate under the Simpler Recycling rules
- Work out how many cases of bin liners to order without overstocking
How often does a split bin bag cost you a second bag, a mopped floor and ten minutes of someone’s shift?
Bin liners are one of the highest-volume consumables in any building, yet they’re the least thought about. Most businesses reorder whatever was on the last invoice.
The result is liners that are too short for the bin, too thin for the waste, or too heavy (and too expensive) for a desk bin that only ever holds paper.
Getting it right comes down to three decisions: size, strength and colour. This guide covers each one, plus how to buy in bulk without spending outside of your budget, or taking up extra storeroom space.
This guide focuses on general and recycling waste. For kitchen scraps and caddy liners, see our guide to the best food waste bags.
How to Measure a Bin for the Right Liner Size
A liner that’s too small slips into the bin as soon as it’s loaded. One that’s too big won’t be used to its full capacity, which costs you more when reordering comes back around.
Sack sizes are usually shown as three numbers, for example, 18 x 29 x 39 inches. The first is the flat width, the second is the width with the side gussets opened out, and the third is the length.
To measure any bin:
- Width: Measure all the way around the rim and halve it. Your liner’s open width needs to be at least this.
- Length: Measure the bin’s depth, add half the base width (so the liner sits flat on the bottom), then add 7-10 cm to fold over the rim.
- Check the fit: The liner should fold over the rim without stretching. If it sits tight on day one, it will tear when full.
Which liner for which bin:
| Bin type | Typical use | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Pedal and small desk bins | Offices, washroom cubicles | Small, light-duty liners |
| Square office bins | Desks, meeting rooms | Square-bottomed liners that sit flat in the bin |
| Swing bins | Staff kitchens, corridors | Liners long enough to fold over the rim under the lid |
| Refuse sacks | General waste, back-of-house | Medium or heavy-duty standard sacks |
| Compactor sacks | Waste compactors, bulky waste | Extra-large, heavy-duty sacks |
| Wheelie bins and Eurobins | External storage | Liners sold to match the bin’s capacity |
Sizes vary between manufacturers, so always check the dimensions on the product listing before ordering a full case.
Understanding Duty Ratings: What the Weight on the Label Means
Duty is the most misunderstood part of buying refuse sacks. “Heavy duty” on one brand’s box can mean something very different on another’s.
The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) runs an accreditation scheme that ties duty to a tested weight. Sacks are filled to the weight on the label, dropped from 1.5m and checked for splits. A batch only passes if at least 9 in 10 survive.
| CHSA duty rating | Label weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Light duty | 5kg or 8kg | Paper, desk bins, low-footfall washrooms |
| Medium duty | 10kg or 12kg | General office waste, used paper towels, packaging |
| Heavy duty | 15kg or 18kg | Kitchen waste, wet waste, back-of-house bins |
| Extra heavy duty | 20kg | Glass, heavy or sharp-edged waste, industrial sites |
Don’t judge strength by thickness alone. A thick sack made from poor-quality recycled film can still split. The tested weight is a more reliable guide than the micron or gauge figure.
If a sack doesn’t carry the CHSA mark, the duty on the label is the manufacturer’s own claim. That doesn’t make it a bad sack, but it’s worth testing a case before committing to a pallet. View our full range of sacks here to help you decide which is best for your needs.
Black, Clear, White or Coloured: Which Sack for Which Waste?
Colour tells your cleaning team, staff, and waste collector what’s inside before anyone opens the bag.
- Black refuse sacks: The default for general (residual) waste. They hide the contents, which suits front-of-house and public areas.
- Clear refuse sacks: Used for recycling, because collectors can check for contamination without opening the bag. They also suit sites where security staff need to see what’s leaving the building.
- White bin liners: Popular in kitchens, receptions and healthcare settings, where a clean look matters.
- Coloured sacks: Useful for separating several waste streams, for example matching sack colour to bin colour. There’s no single national colour code for general business waste, so agree a system with your waste collector and label your bins.
- Compostable and biodegradable sacks: Designed for food waste streams. Check your collector accepts them before switching.
Clinical and offensive waste follows its own colour system under healthcare waste guidance. Never use general-purpose sacks for it.
Already using colour-coded cloths and mops? Our guide to colour-coded cleaning explains how to extend the same logic across your site.
How the Simpler Recycling Rules Affect Your Sack Choice
Since 31 March 2025, workplaces in England with 10 or more full-time equivalent staff must separate dry recyclables and food waste from general waste. Micro-businesses have until 31 March 2027. Wales introduced similar rules in April 2024.
In practice, most sites now need at least three liner types: black for general waste, clear for dry mixed recycling and a food waste liner for caddies.
Collectors set their own rules on what they accept. Some want recycling in clear sacks, some want it loose in the bin. Be sure to confirm with your collector before you reorder.
For a full breakdown of the legislation, read our guide on how to comply with the new workplace recycling rules.
How Many Bin Liners Should You Order?
Bin liners are one of the safest categories to buy in bulk. Standard polythene sacks store well for years if kept cool, dry and out of direct sunlight.
Use the same par level formula from our guide to buying commercial cleaning supplies in bulk:
Par Level = (Average Daily Usage × Lead Time in Days) + Safety Buffer
Example:
- An office of 50 staff has 30 desk and meeting-room bins, emptied daily: 30 small liners a day.
- Kitchen and washroom bins use 6 refuse sacks a day.
- With a 5-day lead time, baseline stock is 150 liners and 30 sacks.
- Add a 20% buffer: par levels of 180 liners and 36 sacks.
At that rate, the site uses around 130 refuse sacks a month, so a case of 200 lasts about six weeks.
The exception is compostable and biodegradable sacks. They’re made to break down, so order a few months’ supply at a time rather than a year’s worth.
High-volume sites can cut costs further with our pallet deals. Orders over £185 also qualify for free UK delivery.
Don’t Forget: Spending over £100 per month on janitorial and washroom consumables? Open a trade account for trade credit terms, dedicated support and volume pricing.
Common Bin Liner Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying heavy-duty for every bin. A desk bin full of paper doesn’t need a 15kg sack. You’re paying for plastic you’ll never use.
- Buying the cheapest sack for the kitchen. If staff double-bag to stop splits, you’re using two sacks per change and paying more overall.
- Choosing liners that are too short. Liners that slip into the bin mean bins get cleaned more often, and waste gets handled twice.
- Using black sacks for recycling. If your collector can’t see inside, they may reject the whole load as contaminated.
- Overstocking compostable sacks. They have a limited shelf life, so they can weaken in storage before you use them.
Quick Bin Liner Checklist
Before your next order, check:
- Bin sizes: Have you measured each bin type on site and matched it to a liner size?
- Duty by area: Are you using light duty in offices and heavy duty in kitchens and back-of-house?
- Colour by stream: Do your sack colours match what your waste collector expects for general, recycling and food waste?
- Par levels: Have you calculated daily usage and lead time for each liner type?
- Storage: Is there a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight for your cases?
- Monthly spend: Are you spending over £100 a month? If so, have you applied for a trade account?
The Bottom Line
Bin liners rarely get a second thought until one splits. Getting size, strength and colour right the first time means fewer split bags, fewer bins needing an extra clean, and one less thing for your team to think about.
Start with the checklist above, measure your highest-use bins first, then adjust duty and colour from there.
Ready to reorder? Browse our full range of bin liners and refuse sacks, or if you’re spending over £100 a month on washroom and janitorial supplies, open a trade account for credit terms, dedicated support and volume pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Bin liners are sized to fit inside a specific bin, such as a pedal, swing or office bin. Refuse sacks are larger, stronger bags, usually around 90L, used for general waste or on their own.
It depends on the bin’s shape and capacity. Measure the rim and depth using the steps above, then check the dimensions on the product listing before you order.
It means the sack has been independently tested to carry the weight shown on the label and that the count and dimensions on the box are accurate.
It depends on your waste collector. Many prefer clear sacks so they can check for contamination, but some want recycling loose in the bin. Check before you order.
Standard polythene sacks store well for years in the right conditions. Compostable and biodegradable sacks have a shorter shelf life, so buy them in smaller quantities.
Yes. If your business spends over £100 a month on washroom and janitorial supplies, you can sign up for a trade account for credit terms, dedicated support and volume discounts.
UK Cleaning Supplies Expert Insights Team
Trusted Commercial Cleaning & Hygiene Solutions
UK Cleaning Supplies supports businesses, schools, and facilities nationwide with trade-grade products, wholesale cost savings, and professional advice.
Our Expert Insights Team brings together industry knowledge across commercial cleaning, chemical procurement, and facilities management to share practical guidance that helps you maintain a safer, cleaner, and more cost-effective working environment.