The Trash Bag Bunch is a line of toys produced and released by Galoob in 1991. Leaning heavily on ‘save the environment’ angle which was popular at that time (Captain Planet also jumped on this), the toys came packaged in a small trash bag which would dissolve in water and reveal the toy figure.
The toys were divided into two rival fractions, the ‘Disposers’ who were environmentally friendly humanoids, and the ‘Trashors’, who were alien-like polluters. Each faction was made up of eighteen figures, thirty-six in total.
DISPOSERS
TRASHORS
Trash Bag Bunch
Unlike regular toys, the Trash Bag Bunch were not viewable to the buyer. Many people would therefore be buying figures blind and often find themselves with duplicates. However, eagle-eyed buyers will have noticed a small circular sticker with a number inside found on the packaging, this let people know which figure was inside.
Galoob also added a unique twist to the Trash Bag Bunch by packaging two figures inside every 24th trash bag produced. The only figures that were packaged additionally were Infector and Wastor, however getting a two-in-one bag felt like Christmas!
Also created was a Grip ‘N’ Dip Bagger playset. This playset let you re-bag figures and dip them in water using a hand-operated crane.
Unlike many other toy series from that period, Trash Bag Bunch didn’t have a TV show, movie or comic tie-ins to help promote the toys. Captain Planet for instance had a popular TV show that ran for six years, as well as a catchy theme tune. This may have been part of the reason why the Trash Bag Bunch never really took off in the way it probably should have.
Galoob did go on to create a second series in 1993, however these were sold exclusively in Sweden and Denmark.
The second series consisted of newly sculpted toys and some repainted series one figures. Galoob hoped that the series would take off in Sweden and Denmark, and then production could begin in the USA, UK etc. Unfortunately the second series sales were weak and further production plans were cancelled.
As the second series of Trash Bag Bunch were not mass produced, and only available in two countries, the second series of toys today command far higher prices than the first series today. It’s not unusual to see non-carded series 2 figures selling for more than $100 each.