How to Choose Trash Bags (垃圾袋) in Taiwan: Size, Solid Roll vs Pull-Out, Cost per Bag, and the City Rules
Trash bags are something every household uses every week. They look alike, but the wrong size will slip into the bin or tear halfway, and a bag that is too big is a waste. Before you buy, there is one more thing people in Taiwan often miss: in some cities, including Taipei and New Taipei, general trash must go in special designated bags, and an ordinary store-bought trash bag is not allowed for that. This guide explains common sizes, solid roll versus pull-out bags, 4 things to check, how to work out the cost per bag, and how to check the rule where you live.
First, Check the Rule in Your City
Not every city lets you put general trash in any trash bag. In places that charge for trash by the bag, such as Taipei and New Taipei, general trash must go in the designated trash bag sold for that purpose. Ordinary trash bags sold in stores are mainly for kitchen waste, recycling, lining a small bin at home, or putting inside the designated bag. The exact rule depends on where you live, so check the announcement from your local environmental protection bureau (環保局), or ask your employer, landlord, or dormitory manager before you buy.
Common Sizes and Capacities
| Common capacity | Usually used for | How to decide |
|---|---|---|
| About 10L (about 38×45 or 40×50 cm) | A small bin by a desk, in a bathroom, or under an office desk | Small opening, little trash, so changing it every day is not a waste |
| 15–20L (about 43×56 or 53×63 cm) | A small kitchen bin or a bedroom bin | The most common home size. Measure the bin opening first |
| 45L (about 65×75 or 65×80 cm) | A floor-standing kitchen bin, or one bag for a family's weekly trash | Common for larger households, and also used as a collection bag |
| 70–90L (about 80×90 to 95×105 cm) | A large floor bin, or putting out a lot of trash at a shared rental | A large bag. Check that you can carry it and that it fits the large bin |
| 125L and above (about 90×110 cm and up) | Businesses, large community bins, moving and clearing out | Mostly for large volumes, and usually not needed at home |
The centimeters and capacities above are the way shops commonly list them. The real size differs a little between brands and models, so always go by the "size (length × width)" on the product page. The most reliable method is to measure the opening and height of your own bin first, then compare them with the bag's width and length.
4 Things to Check When Choosing Trash Bags
| What to check | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Does the size fit your bin? | The bag's width should be a little more than half the circumference of the bin opening, and its length should cover the bin and fold over the rim. A bag that is too small slips into the bin, and one that is too big wastes plastic |
| Solid roll or pull-out | Solid roll bags (a roll of single bags you tear off) are usually cheaper per bag. Pull-out bags (pulling one bag out brings up the next) are easy to use and do not come out in a long string, and they are common in large sizes and for businesses |
| Eco label and shelf life | Some bags show an eco label and a shelf life (for example 10 years). Many bags show no shelf life. The price and count differ between the two, so choose by how much you use and your preference |
| Cost per bag | The count, size, and price differ a lot between packs. Work out "total price ÷ number of bags" to find the real unit price. Do not go only by the price of the whole pack |
How to Work Out the Cost per Bag
As with tissue and laundry pods, do not look only at "how much for one pack". Work out "total price ÷ number of bags". For example, if a pack of 30 bags costs $60, that is $2 per bag. If another pack of 100 bags costs $150, that is $1.5 per bag, so the larger count is usually better value. But two 45L bags can differ in thickness and material, and so in how much weight they hold and how easily they tear. You also have to count "will it tear, and do I have to use two together". A cheap bag that often tears and needs doubling up may cost more in real use.
Choosing by Situation
- A small kitchen bin, changed every day — Choose a small or medium size of 15–20L. Measure the opening first, and if you make little trash, do not buy a big pack that takes up space.
- A large household that collects a week's worth of trash — Choose a large bag of around 45L that balances capacity and a weight you can carry. Look first at strength and how the bag closes.
- A rental or dormitory — First check the trash rules of your landlord or community and the size of the shared bins, then decide between large bags and small bags put out more often.
- You use a lot and want a low unit price — Look at the cost per bag of large packs and boxes, but first make sure you have space to store them, and do not stock up more than you will use.
Searching on Shopee Taiwan: Chinese Keywords and What They Mean
Shopee Taiwan uses Chinese, so searching in English usually returns nothing useful. Copy the keywords below and paste them into the Shopee search box.
| Keyword / text (Chinese) | Pinyin | Meaning | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 垃圾袋 清潔袋 | lājī dài / qīngjié dài | trash bag / garbage bag | The most common search keyword |
| 專用垃圾袋 | zhuānyòng lājī dài | designated trash bag | The special bag required for general trash in cities such as Taipei and New Taipei. Check your city's rule |
| 實心 | shíxīn | solid roll (tear-off) | A roll of single bags you tear off one at a time |
| 抽取式 | chōuqǔ shì | pull-out (pop-up) | Pulling one bag out brings up the next |
| 環保標章 | huánbǎo biāozhāng | eco label | Shows the eco label on the product |
| 45L 90L | sìshíwǔ gōngshēng / jiǔshí gōngshēng | 45 liters / 90 liters | The capacity. Check the size in centimeters too |
| 尺寸 公分 | chǐcùn / gōngfēn | size / centimeters | Compare the bag's length and width with your bin |
| 桶口 | tǒng kǒu | bin opening | Measure this on your own bin first |
| 免運 | miǎnyùn | free shipping | There is usually a minimum order amount |
| 月銷熱賣 | yuè xiāo rèmài | best sellers this month | A sorting option in Shopee Taiwan search results (the display name may change), useful for finding what many people buy |
Brand names on packaging are usually in Chinese too. If you are not sure, use your phone's camera translation (for example Google Translate) on the packaging or the product page and compare it with the table above. This list is only a keyword guide, not an official translation, and the text on a product page may differ.
Show this to the shop staff, or paste it into the Shopee chat
請問有適合這個垃圾桶的垃圾袋嗎？
Qǐngwèn yǒu shìhé zhège lājī tǒng de lājī dài ma?
Do you have trash bags that fit this bin?
請問這包有幾張？尺寸是幾公分？
Qǐngwèn zhè bāo yǒu jǐ zhāng? Chǐcùn shì jǐ gōngfēn?
How many bags are in this pack, and what size is each in centimeters?
一般垃圾一定要用專用垃圾袋嗎？
Yībān lājī yīdìng yào yòng zhuānyòng lājī dài ma?
Do I have to use the designated bag for general trash?
Formosa Plastics Trash Bags (eco label / solid roll, many sizes and colors)
Shopee listing information (shown on September 24, 2026; prices, options, and promotions may change): brand shown as Formosa Plastics (台塑), made in Taiwan, shipped from Kaohsiung. The listing describes the bags as thin but strong. It has 32 product options with prices from $44 to $220, 700,000+ sold, about 38,000 reviews and a 5-star rating, and it ranks 3rd in Shopee's "extra-large trash bag" best-seller list (we only quote these and have not checked them one by one, so treat them as a reference). The listed options fall into two groups. One group is the "eco label, solid roll" bags with a stated 10-year shelf life, for example large (65×80 cm, 45L, 20 bags), extra large (80×95 cm, 90L, 13 bags), extra-extra large (86×100 cm, 90L, 11 bags), and 95×105 cm (90L, 9 bags), all white. The other group is plain "solid roll" bags with no stated shelf life, from extra small (38×45 cm, 10L, 100 bags) to extra jumbo (120×140 cm, 260L, 17 bags), in white, black, or pink depending on the size, including the common medium (53×63 cm, 20L, 54 bags) and large (65×75 cm, 45L, 30 bags) in several colors; larger sizes also come in pull-out and thicker versions (for example a thick 94×110 cm, 125L, 27 bags, in black only). On shipping, the listing shows free shipping over $199 for pickup at a store and over $490 for home delivery, plus 10% Shopee coins back; each delivery method has its own weight limit (10 kg for 7-Eleven and FamilyMart store pickup and Shopee store pickup, 15 kg for Shopee home delivery, 20 kg for Hsinchu Logistics), so check this before buying in bulk. Before you buy: the listing has 32 options and the price changes with the size, count, and color, so check that you picked the exact one you want. The eco label bags and the plain solid bags show different shelf life information. Also remember that general trash in some cities must go in the city's designated bag, so check the rule where you live first. We did not get the shop name here, and price, stock, and reviews are whatever the Shopee page shows at the time.
Quick Checklist Before You Buy
- Measure the opening and height of your bin first → compare them with the bag's width and length, not just the "L" number
- Check your city's rule → does general trash have to go in the designated bag?
- Do you want pull-out bags? → Easy to use but the unit price may be higher, so consider them for large volumes
- Check the eco label and shelf life → decide by how much you use, and do not stock up too much at once
- Before you order → work out "total price ÷ number of bags" for the real unit price, and check that you picked the right size and color
Frequently Asked Questions
- Should I go by the liters or the centimeters?
- The liters are a guide to capacity, but whether the bag fits your bin depends on the bag's length × width in centimeters and the size of your bin opening. Two brands that both say 45L can differ a little in size. It is more reliable to measure your own bin first and compare it with the centimeters on the product page than to go by liters alone.
- What is the difference between solid roll and pull-out bags?
- Solid roll bags are usually one roll of single bags that you tear along the perforation, and they are usually cheaper per bag. Pull-out bags are stacked on a roll, and pulling one out brings up the next. They are easy to use and do not come out in a long string, and they are common in large sizes and at businesses. Both work, so choose by how you like to use them and your budget.
- Do I have to look at the thickness?
- Thickness affects how much weight the bag holds and how easily it tears, but the product page does not always state it clearly. You can use the features the shop lists (such as thin but strong), what reviews say about durability, and whether you often have to double up. If you often throw away hard or wet, heavy items, choose a strong or thick bag first and do not compare only the unit price.
- Can I use an ordinary trash bag for general trash?
- It depends on your city. In places that charge for trash by the bag, such as Taipei and New Taipei, general trash must go in the designated bag, and other areas have different rules. Check the announcement of your local environmental protection bureau, or ask your employer, landlord, or dormitory manager, before you buy.