National Food Equipment - Flipbook - Page 22
CAN LINER GUIDE
Helpful Information About
Gauges and Types
Contact a Sales Team Member for Pricing or to Schedule
a Purchasing Review/Create a Program
Why Gauge Isn't Always Important
Film thickness is no longer a satisfactory standard for judging overall strength.
The development of improved LLDPE resin in the liner industry has changed the
standard method for selecting can liners. Manufacturers can produce thinner,
lighter trash bags that are stronger and more durable than the thicker bags
previously made from low density resin. This is why gauge is no longer an effective
way to determine liner strength. Instead of stating actual thickness, many liners
are now simply described as "Light", "Medium", "Heavy", and "Extra Heavy".
Each manufacturer has its own blend formulations, so the proportions of the
materials used vary from one producer to another. The best way to determine the
correct liner is to test some suggested samples.
Linear Low Density
Mil Thickness Range
Old Low Density
Strength Rating
Regular
Medium
Heavy
Heavy Plus
Extra Heavy
.35 to .50
.45 to .75
.60 to 1.0
.74 to 1.3
.90 to 1.5
1.25
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
Advantages of High Density Can Liners
Types of Bag Seals
Star Seal
(or X-Seal)
Flat
Seal
Gusseted
Seal
This unique design
eliminates gaps along
the seal where leaks
can occur.
These bags are
generally leak-proof,
but are very clumsy
to handle.
A flat style bag with
both sides tucked in
to form gussets.
Definitions
Resin - The basic raw material from which can liners are made. There are 3
types of resins: Low Density, Linear Low Density and High Density Polyethylene.
Linear Low Density Polyethylene - This resin is highly puncture and tear
resistant. These properties make this the best choice for applications where
additional strength and stretch are required. Works well for waste with sharp or
jagged edges.
High Density Polyethylene - Liners made from this resin are generally available
in lower gauges, and are more temperature resistant.
Low Density Polyethylene - An older resin still used mainly in lower end utility
liners. It has largely been replaced by Linear Low Density Polyethylene.
Post Consumer and Post-Industrial Polyethylene - This is made from recycled
post-consumer plastics such as milk jugs and industrial scraps. These are
reprocessed and blended with other types of resins to produce new high
quality liners.
Gauge - A term used to describe the thickness of a liner. Low density liners are
measured in mils, while High Density liners are generally measured in microns.
Mil - Measurement based on one hundred thousandths of an inch (.000). For
example, a .55 mil bag would be 55 thousandths of an inch thick. Common low
density liners range from .37 to 1.8 mil in thickness.
Micron - Based on thousandth of a Millimeter (.000000). High Density liners
usually range from 6 to 22 microns in thickness.
18
General Industry
Strength Rating
1. HMW/HD liners are about 3x stronger and more durable than
ordinary polyethylene liners of the same thickness
2. They can be made about one-third the thickness of ordinary low
density polyethylene liners, so they require only about one-third
the ordinary shipping, storage and warehousing cost
3. Substantial cost savings per liner
4. When they are properly made, HMW/HD liners will rarely "zipper" if punctured
5. Extremely wide range of temperature resistance from
-40° to 212°F
6. USDA and FDA approved (natural-colored liners)
Suggested applications:
•
•
•
•
•
Cans without rough edges
Paper
Disposable dinnerware
Food
Dirt or grass
• Rags/cloth items
• Smooth heavy object
• Great for office waste baskets
Advantages of Linear
Low Density Can Liners
1. Maximum puncture and stretch resistance
2. Multi-purpose applications
3. Most prevalent type of film used in the industry today
4. Manufactured in a wide variety of colors
5. Compared to traditional low density film, linear low can
be run at a lighter gauge with equal strength
Suggested applications:
• Stick & rough yard trimmings,
small rocks
• Metal w/sharp edges
• Nails & bolts
• Objects w/rough corners
or protrusions
• Disposable flatware
• Abusive transport conditions
• Food w/rough edges
(like crab legs)
