Make a tissue box that is "double ended". The "top" of the box dispenses tissues in the normal way. The "bottom" of the box contains 10 or 12 thin, opaque plastic bags with tie handles. For hygenic tissue disposal, take a bag from the bottom of the pack. Put used tissues in the bag. When it's getting full, tie it and throw it away, or burn it. The idea is to allow hayfever and cold victims to avoid leaving an unpleasant and unhygenic trail of used tissues wherever they go. (In many public places in the UK, public litter bins have long since been removed to prevent them being used as the repository for terrorist bombs).
-- 8th of 7, Jul 11 2002

Better biodegradable plastic bags http://www.enn.com/...bioplastic_3277.asp
Perhaps a solution to the waste problem. [polartomato, Jul 11 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004]

There's plenty of public bins in my home town. Whats so un-hygenic about throwing tissues in the bin? Its not like you're going to use them again or anything.
-- [ sctld ], Jul 11 2002


[ sctld ]: This is intended for situations where there may not be bins easily to hand; trains, aircraft, even in the car. You are fortunate if your locality is supplied with bins. You are even more fortunate if they get emptied regularly.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 11 2002


There are plenty of bins on trains. Isn't it a bit dangerous burning stuff on planes and trains anyway? All you're really asking for is a plastic pouch to use as a bin. Which is of course baked.
-- [ sctld ], Jul 11 2002


If these boxes existed, perhaps they would make pocket protectors obsolete.
-- reensure, Jul 11 2002


So is that good or bad?
-- angel, Jul 11 2002


Of course it would be unused; it would be the one in his top pocket. (A gentleman keeps one for blow and one for show.)
-- angel, Jul 11 2002


Perhaps you could just seal the two plies of the tissue paper along three sides - Take an extra tissue, then use *that* as the waste recepticle - or an extra tissue, in an emergency. This would also deal with Resarf's (valid) packaging waste issue, as tissue is biodegradable.
-- yamahito, Jul 11 2002


([Resarf] suggested taking new tissues from one end of the box and storing used ones in the other.)
[Resarf], now you're thinking. Why not indeed? A certain brand of razor blade comes in a package which has a place for the used blades. As a new blade is taken from the top, a similar-sized space is made available in the bottom. You buy a pack of ten new blades, you throw away a pack of ten used blades, so it's a zero-sum operation.
-- angel, Jul 11 2002


That sounds like a good idea. If there's a moveable partition inside the box, as you remove a tissue from one side you can stuff a dirty one in the other end. That would work equally well except for one thing; if you only used some of the tissues you'd end up with a box festering away quite nicely like a little portable Porton Down. Hence our original idea of a number of small, detachable bags, so that the used tissues could be packaged and disposed of in small batches.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 11 2002


This is a promising idea hankied by the problem of waste - so I have included a link to a page about biodegradeable plastic bags. While the material might be expensive, it would solve the extra waste problem. One must also consider that snotrags resemble little snowballs rather than sheets and the bags would have to be shaped accordingly.
-- polartomato, Jul 11 2002


polartomato: The bags could be made of very thin waxed paper - a bit like a thin version of an aircraft sick-bag, or one of those sanitary napkin disposal bags - which is slightly more bio-degradeable than polymer film. You would have a limited amount of time before the containment failed, depending on the overall snot/hanky ratio in the bag. If asked to deal with a few crumpled hankies which have only been employed for little ladylike dabs, the bags would last for days; confronted with the full blown bogeyfest that is the outcome of a masculine head cold, and the stuff would corrode its way though and be dribbling down your trousers within minutes. Save the environment, or save your strides - you choose.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 11 2002


//I would like to see old fashioned fine linen hankies have a comeback... you use once, and then drop into washing machine with the laundry...//

Unfortuantely that isn't how cloth hankies are used. If you've got the head cold 8 is talking about, you'll be blowing your nose about every 20 seconds. Unless you're changing your hanky that often, you're using a used one. Ewww.... And it's probably full after a use or two. Not to mention, if you're not at home, you've got to put the used one in your pocket or purse until you can get to the laundry... again ... ewww!!

How about putting a magnet on a disposable tissue and having it be drawn to the nearest metal garbage can? Ok, it's far-fetched... but I thought I'd suggest it.

And just out of curiosity, when one says something is "baked" is that good or bad?
-- Aurora, Jul 11 2002


Depends on whether or not its PeterSealy thats saying it. Generally, baked eans that the idea is inexistence, and so is no longer half-baked. For example, motorbikes are baked. motorbikes that run off paper are half-baked.

Have you read the help file yet?
-- [ sctld ], Jul 11 2002


what ever happened to Arora? here is another HBer with a strikingly similar name.
-- po, Jul 11 2002


I made the mistake of thinking that this was arora.
-- [ sctld ], Jul 11 2002


Nope, I spell my name properly - there's a U in it. *grin*
-- Aurora, Jul 11 2002



random, halfbakery