Trash Talk: Is it Can Liners or Trash Bags?

So, what do you call the thin, flexible plastic film shaped into a de facto carrying sack that you place inside of a waste or recycling receptacle to contain and hold the loose waste and recyclables at your facility?

Do you call them Can Liners? It makes sense; they are a “liner” for a “can”.

Or do you call them Trash Bags? Understandably, they are indeed " bags” of sorts that can hold “trash” as well as other materials.

Garbage Bags? Yes, this name is also understandable, depending on whether you say “garbage” or “trash” in your part of the country.

Bin Liners? Uh-huh, a “liner” for a “bin”.

Bolsas de Basura? También comprensible (also understandable) if Spanish is your primary language.

In some respects, what you call these disposable polyethylene protective pockets will depend on what part of the country you are in, who you are working with, and whether you find yourself in a commercial building or a household.

Other Word Multiples

And it is not just can liners/trash bags where these “word multiples” exist – we have different words for many other instances where we are ultimately describing the same things, such as:

Soda, Coke, or Pop? Garage Sale, Yard Sale, or Rummage Sale? Sneakers or Tennis Shoes? Fireflies or Lighting Bugs?

Garbage Can or Trash Can? Garbage Bin or Trash Bin? Forget the liners or bags that you put in them for a moment – what do you call the actual receptacle?

The fact is for whatever reasons we have evolved to have different names to refer to the exact same thing for a variety of items.

Whatever You Call Them, Everybody Needs Them

However, no matter what you call these magical plastic pouches, everybody – and we do mean everybody – has a need for a Can Liner (or Trash Bag, or whatever you would like to call it).

School, College, and University

Can liners are a must for any campus to help hold all the waste, recyclables, and food scraps/organics generated by your typical educational facility.

As a matter of fact, the same could be said for almost any “away from home” or commercial building. For example (click on the boxes below for the answers to each question): 

Whatever you call them, everybody needs them—and when you need to order them, please call BradyPLUS for all of your can liners and trash bags!