Trash receptacle liner system and method

Abstract

A trash receptacle liner having a liquid absorbent material located therein. The liquid absorbent material having a concentrated bacterial powder contained therein which reduces odors produced by refuse discarded into the trash receptacle. The liquid absorbent material may also include an insecticide.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a system for controlling odors and leakage in trash receptacles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In public areas such as shopping centers, fast food restaurants and malls having food courts, waste management is an important concern. To contain the trash generated by such locations it is common to have numerous trash receptacles available for public use. It is important that such receptacles be maintained free from odors and leakage which would detract from the cleanliness of the public areas. When trash receptacles release liquids and odors insects can be attracted. Furthermore, liquids leaked from trash receptacles can also result in slip and fall accidents. Currently, these trash receptacles are lined with a removeable plastic trash bag that is emptied when it is filled with trash. These removeable trash bags do not control odors and are prone to leakage when liquids are discarded into the receptacles.

Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need for a system which can control odors and absorb liquids in trash receptacles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A trash receptacle liner having an absorbent material located therein for absorbing liquids. The absorbent material having a concentrated bacterial powder contained therein which reduces odors produced by refuse discarded into the trash receptacle. Furthermore, a system and method for selecting a liner corresponding to a trash receptacle is disclosed using color designation. Additionally, an insecticide may be added to the liner to discourage insect infestation.

The invention will become more fully apparent from the claims and the description in connection with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a liner formed of flexible material having a portion broken away to reveal an absorbent pad;

FIG. 2 shows the liner of FIG. 1 placed inside a trash receptacle; and

FIG. 3 shows the liner of FIGS. 1 and 2 having a trash bag contained therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a trash receptacle liner 10 having an open top 12 and a sealed bottom 14. The liner 10 is preferably formed of plastic material such as polyethylene and may either be highly flexible or self-supporting. Other materials may be used but it is important that the liner 10 be formed of waterproof materials. A wafer 16 or sponge is placed at the bottom 14. The wafer 16 is preferably formed of highly absorbent material, for example, in the preferred embodiment, a product sold under the trade name of ZORBA distributed by JohnsonDiversey Corporation is used as the wafer material. Preferably, the wafer 16 is adhered to the bottom 14 of the liner 10 by a drop of silicone adhesive. The wafer 16 is impregnated with a concentrated bacterial powder which helps to reduce odors associated with the liquids absorbed in the wafer 16. The preferred bacterial powder is BEC 150 distributed by Genesis Technologies International. BEC 150 is a concentrated bacterial powder whose formulation consists of a range of naturally occurring microorganisms which are not hazardous to humans and animals and has the ability to break down proteins, carbohydrates, animal and vegetable fats, oils and cellulose for effective waste digestion and odor reduction and destroys odors naturally without the need of a fragrance or masking agent. As an example, for a standard 39 gallon trash receptacle the liner 10 would include a wafer 16 about 12 inches in diameter impregnated with 3 ounces of concentrated bacterial powder. In order to reduce escape of the concentrated bacterial powder from the wafer 16, an opening 17 would be cut in the wafer 16 the concentrated bacterial powder inserted and then the opening 17 would be sealed with a glue strip or tape 18. Additionally, an insecticide may be added to the liner 10 either in combination with the wafer 16 or placed on the inside or the outside of the liner 10.

The liner 10 may include a drawstring 19 to secure the liner 10 to a trash receptacle 20 as shown in FIG. 2, but other means of securing the liner 10 may be used such as a rubber band (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows the liner 10 placed within a trash receptacle 20. The liner 10 is preferably folded over the top edge 22 of receptacle 20 and secured with the drawstring 19. The drawstring 19 is merely a suggested means of securing the liner 10 to the receptacle 20 and other means may be used or omitted altogether. The liner 10 may be suspended from the receptacle edge 22 or the bottom 14 of the liner 10 may rest on the base 24 of the receptacle.

FIG. 3 shows a trash receptacle 20 having a liner 10 and a trash bag 30 contained therein. Use of the liner 10 allows the use of several trash bags 30 to be placed in the trash receptacle 20 and replaced when filled with refuse while the liner 10 prevents leakage and odors from accumulating in the trash receptacle 20.

Another aspect of the invention includes the color coding of different sized liners 10 which may have absorbent wafers 16 of proportional size and having a proportional amount of concentrated bacterial powder therein. In this system, each different size of liner 10 would have a different color so that different sizes would be readily apparent. When a liner 10 needed changed, another could be readily selected by color. This feature takes on added importance in a public area having different sized trash receptacles. The time for change of the liner 10 can be determined when the absorbent wafer 16 is fully saturated. In such a situation, replacement liners may not be stored with the original packaging which designates its size, but it would be easy for the janitorial crew to determine which liners go with which trash receptacles merely by matching colors rather than trying to estimate the size of liner required for a particular receptacle. Further, each differently colored liner 10 would preferably have a differently sized absorbent wafer 16 which has a correspondingly proportional amount of concentrated bacterial powder therein.

While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/or adaptations of the invention following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as maybe applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A trash receptacle liner system, comprising:

a) a flexible plastic bag having an open top and a closed bottom;

b) an absorbent wafer located within said bag at the bottom;

c) said absorbent wafer being impregnated with a concentrated bacterial powder.

2. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a) said system includes a plurality of sizes of flexible plastic bags, each of said sizes of bags being of a different color.

3. A trash receptacle liner system, comprising;

a) a plurality of trash receptacle liners of different sizes;

b) a first of said liners being of a larger size than a second of said liners;

c) said first of said liners being a first predetermined color and a second of said liners being of a different color than said first of said liners;

d) said first of said liners having a first absorbent wafer located therein for absorbing liquids collected in said first of said liners;

e) said second of said liners having a second absorbent wafer located therein for absorbing liquids collected in said second of said liners;

f) wherein said first wafer is of a larger size than said second wafer;

4. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

a) said first wafer includes a quantity of bacterial powder.

5. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

a) said first wafer includes a quantity of concentrated bacterial powder.

6. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

a) said second wafer includes a quantity of bacterial powder.

7. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

a) said plurality of trash receptacle liners includes more than two of said liners and each of said liners is of a different size and color.

8. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

a) said first wafer includes a quantity of bacterial powder.

9. A method of reducing odors and leakage from trash receptacles, comprising the steps of:

a) forming a liner of strong flexible material having an open top and a sealed bottom;

b) placing and adhering a highly absorbent wafer at the bottom of said liner;

c) impregnating said wafer with a concentrated biological powder;

d) placing said liner in a trash receptacle

e) whereby said highly absorbent wafer collects leakage in said receptacle and said biological powder controls odors in said receptacle.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the step of:

a) placing trash collecting bags within said liner when said liner is placed in a trash receptacle.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

a) the step of impregnating said wafer with said concentrated biological powder occurs prior to adhering said wafer to said liner.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the step of:

a) applying insecticide to said liner.

13. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a) an insecticide applied to said liner.

14. The trash receptacle liner system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a) an insecticide applied to said liner.