Converting hard-to-recycle plastics into valuable resources.
The Hefty® EnergyBag® program provides a way to collect otherwise hard-to-recycle plastics at your curb and turn them into valued resources. You simply place these materials in the Hefty® orange bag, tie the bag when full, and put it in your curbside recycling bin or cart.
Only 9% of our plastic waste is recycled1. But many plastics that are commonly thrown away can now be collected with the Hefty® EnergyBag® program. From straws and foam packing peanuts to plastic pet food bags, there are so many otherwise hard-to-recycle plastics we are able to divert away from landfills and convert into valuable resources.
Just like plastics that qualify for curbside recycling, hard-to-recycle plastics hold value. Currently, that value lies primarily in their use as energy resources, including as an alternative fuel source for manufacturing cement, which reduces the need for natural resources like coal. Hard-to-recycle plastics can also be ground into smaller pieces to make new plastic products such as railroad ties, composite decking, or park benches and Adirondack chairs.
The Hefty® EnergyBag® program is currently available in the following areas:
Help us bring the EnergyBag® program to your area.
We're always looking for new communities to join the Hefty® EnergyBag® program. Request your community below.
1 Parker, Laura (2018, December 20). Here’s How Much Plastic Trash Is Littering the Earth. National Geographic Society. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic-produced-recycling-waste-ocean-trash-debris-environment