Person in kitchen adding recycled items to ReNew bag

How the Hefty ReNew™ Program Works

Meet the Hefty ReNew™ Program

Together, we can help bring new life to hard-to-recycle plastics—like plastic forks, candy wrappers, pet food bags, and foam to-go boxes—that usually end up in the trash. The Program is an easy addition to existing recycling services in your area, such as curbside or drop-off programs.

Easy effort. Enormous results. 

All it takes is a few simple steps to help keep hard-to-recycle plastics out of landfills and give them renewed purpose.

1

Fill Up

Collect accepted materials in a Hefty® ReNew® Orange Bag and tie up tightly when full.

See accepted materials

2

Recycle

Place the orange bag in your curbside bin or an approved drop-off location along with your other recyclables.*

Find my local program

3

Renew

Orange bags are sorted by your local recycling facility, and the materials** are sent to a facility for processing into new items.

Explore the possibilities

* Only materials accepted by the Program may be processed into new items. Accepted items are listed on the orange bag and listed on the accepted items page

**Check with your local recycling facility for any variations from this accepted items list.

Watch how it works

Learn how the Hefty ReNew Program is different from existing recycling

Many local recycling programs accept paper, glass, metal, and plastic at your curbside or a drop-off spot. The Hefty ReNew Program doesn’t replace your local recycling program—it complements it. We work with local programs to collect and separate the hard-to-recycle plastics that existing programs don’t usually accept. 

What are hard-to-recycle plastics?

Some plastics are difficult to recycle due to various factors, including material type, shape, size, flexibility, and color. This can cause problems for machines at recycling centers. It can also contaminate the recycling process. That’s why many local programs don’t recycle these items. Examples of hard-to-recycle plastics collected by Hefty ReNew include:

 

ReNew WFITB Handout

View all acceptable items

Plastic waste has value

This Program is a step in the right direction toward a more circular plastics economy. Read more about the Hefty® Responsibility and Impact of the Hefty ReNew Program. 

The Hefty ReNew Program strives to:

Keep more plastics out of landfills

We work to ensure the hard-to-recycle plastics you collect are repurposed.

Seek better ways to renew plastic

We pursue new ways to turn hard-to-recycle plastics into new materials and products, prioritizing mechanical end markets.

Support participants and communities

We offer education and tools to help support a positive impact of the Program in your community.

Expand access to the Program

We aim to make the Program available to as many communities as we can.

Be transparent and accountable

We collaborate with partners to review and measure our processes to ensure they’re better for the environment.

FAQs about how the Hefty ReNew Program works

I already recycle plastic—how is this different?  

The Hefty ReNew Program complements existing curbside and drop-off programs by collecting hard-to-recycle plastics and diverting them from landfills and the natural environment. 

Items accepted for collection by the Program are printed on the orange bags and listed on the accepted items page.  All collected items must be empty, clean, and dry. 

The Program does not impact the items your local recycling facility accepts, including plastics. Please check with your current recycler and follow their list of materials accepted for recycling.

Why should I participate in Hefty ReNew Program? 

Joining the Program is optional, but it’s a simple way to help with your current recycling efforts. Being part of the Program is just one of many ways you can help reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills in your community.

How do I participate? 

  1. Check to see if your community participates. 
  2. Purchase a box of Hefty® ReNew® Orange Bags at your local store or online. 
  3. Fill with any accepted, hard-to-recycle plastics you may have in your household and wish to discard. 
  4. Tie the bag tightly and put it in your curbside recycling bin or take it to an approved drop-off location. 

You can see what goes in the bag by viewing the list of accepted items. 

Remember: this program is completely voluntary. And be sure to continue your existing recycling routine. The Hefty ReNew Program complements your existing recycling program—it doesn’t replace it.

Is there a cost to participate in the Hefty ReNew Program? 

You only pay for the cost of purchasing the Hefty ReNew Orange Bags. 

Buying the orange bags from a local retailer helps support the program's costs, including manufacturing the bags, transportation, and the costs incurred by the recycling and conversion facilities. Hefty® is also making significant investments to educate consumers and build program infrastructure.

Why are the Hefty ReNew Orange Bags needed?

The specially designed Hefty ReNew Orange Bags are required for a few reasons: 

  • They keep all the loose, hard-to-recycle plastics separate from the other materials you recycle. 
  • The bag is tough enough to survive transportation and separation by the local recycling facilities.
  • The bright orange color helps recycling centers easily identify, separate, and send the materials they can’t process. This way, the hard-to-recycle plastics won’t mix with metal, glass, paper, or other recycling streams.
  • The bag must be plastic for the Program to work. If it’s made of any other material, it will contaminate the plastics inside. 

The orange bag is made with 20% recycled materials and becomes a resource along with its contents.

What happens to the plastics collected in Hefty ReNew Orange Bags?

The collected plastics can be turned into new products like building materials and plastic lumber. They may also be used instead of coal in cement manufacturing. Our third-party life cycle assessments have shown that these uses are better for the environment than sending hard-to-recycle plastics to landfills. The Program is also continually researching innovative, forward-thinking ways to reuse hard-to-recycle plastics as new plastic recycling technology emerges. 

Source: Sustainable Solutions Corporation and S&C, Hefty ReNew™ Program Life Cycle Assessment 2022

Still have questions?

Hefty ReNew Program participants—need more details about the program or product? We’re here to help.

Contact Us
Contact us for Press, Municipalities, or Corporate Inquiries Contact us for Materials recovery facility (MRF) Inquiries

Hefty ReNew community programs

To take part, you need to live in a participating Program area. Want to see if your neighborhood participates?

Hefty ReNew Program Availability

What goes in the bag

See the detailed list of what can or cannot go in the Hefty ReNew Orange Bags for recycling.

View accepted items