A New Option for Hard-to-Recycle Items

The Hefty ReNew program aims to complement traditional curbside recycling.

Despite my best recycling efforts, ultimately there is a list of items that end up in our trash on a regular basis. A tiny ping of resignation hits me every time I toss a granola bar wrapper, salad bag or pet food package into the can. So finding new (and easy) opportunities to make earth-friendlier improvements is really encouraging, and that’s what I have discovered since trying the Hefty ReNew recycling program—which accepts all of those items and many others.

The program, which has been available in select communities across the country since launching in 2018, has recently expanded to Ohio markets in partnership with Rumpke, now serving residents in Central Ohio, Cincinnati and Dayton. 

Designed as an easy addition to everyday residential recycling, Hefty ReNew uses an orange bag system to collect difficult-to-recycle plastics and foam products, which can later be turned into useful new resources. Residents with access to the program simply bag items separately in the Hefty ReNew orange bags and include them in weekly curbside or drop-off recycling. From there, the recycling facility separates out the orange bags from the loose recyclables, and the bagged materials are sent to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) where they are sorted again and sent to a variety of end markets. That means plastic utensils and straws, foam to-go containers, candy wrappers or those stand up pouches your kids like can now skip the landfill and be turned into something new, like a bench at your favorite park. 

The program has started small, currently in 10 U.S. markets, but is spreading to more areas. According to a spokesperson representing the Hefty ReNew program, their team works with a third party environmental firm to identify new markets and communities with Material Recovery Facilities in place to determine if a city or county has the right resources to support the program. If your location isn’t on the list yet, that doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future, so keep an eye out for the program. But if you do live in a community with current access to the Hefty ReNew program, here are a few things to know.

Here’s How the Hefty ReNew program works:

1. Purchase the orange bags at participating retailers including Kroger, Target or Walmart. 

*I bought a box of 20 at Kroger for $7.99. If you want to test it out before buying a box, you can request a starter kit from Hefty, and they will send you one sample bag for free.

Hefty ReNew orange bags are made with 20% recycled materials, and the box can be recycled when you are done.

2. Fill the orange bag with accepted items. When it’s full, tie the bag securely and drop it in your curbside cart or take it to your nearest drop-off location.

*The outside of the bag details which items are accepted and those that are not. You can also find a list of accepted items here. Though the Hefty website lists communities that have access to the program, it doesn’t hurt to contact your specific recycling provider to ensure they take the orange bags.

3. That’s it. From there, the bags will be picked up by your recycling service and delivered to the partnering Material Recovery Facility for sorting and delivery to an end-market facility. 

*Some of the end markets turn the hard-to-recycle plastics into useful building products, construction materials and plastic lumber. Examples have included materials used to build bus shelters and kiosks. 

Hefty is largely known for producing durable plastic waste bags and disposable tableware, so it has been interesting to learn more about their shift toward better environmental awareness and greater accountability. In addition to the Hefty ReNew program geared at creating circular economies, Hefty has increased their focus in making recyclable and compostable products in smaller packaging, and says they are rethinking production and shipping processes for better energy-efficiency. 

When I think about if Hefty ReNew is the perfect solution to diverting waste from the landfill, I know that it’s not. The real goal is limiting these hard-to-recycle plastics in the first place and trying to make more informed decisions as consumers about the products we buy and use by understanding how they are made.

However, it’s a process! And supporting a circular economy is one way we can show that we are paying attention and shifting our behaviors as consumers because we want something better for our earth.

–Jill Span Hofbauer