"Awesome, thank you so much! I can use my pill bottles. I enjoy recycling things," said another. Whether you're packing for a ...

Trash cans made of plastic or metal and built with lift, swing and hands-free lids can be found for under $20. Midrange models with a few good features cost between $50-$150.

But a new process can transform polyethylene plastic in days, using bacteria to eat the waste and then turn it into a biodegradable material inspired by spider silk.

Promising review: "I needed a small trash can for my small bathroom and this one is perfect! It fits exactly where I needed it to fit. The lid is nice for keeping odors down and appearances up. I ...

The material can’t yet reach the toughness of a plastic bag, for example, nor the elasticity of a rubber band. “We’re not quite there in those yet, but we’re pretty close,” Mr. Boynton said.

Drilling a few holes in a typical plastic trash bin prevents the filled-up bag from forming a seal and helps in removing it swiftly. The holes can be about 1.4 inches and spread out on the edges ...