A US scheme that helped householders divert hard-to-recycle plastics for more sustainable uses is being phased out due to a lack of infrastructure development to support it.
The Hefty ReNew programme has operated across several US states, including Idaho, Ohio, Tennessee, and Illinois, for more than 10 years.
It supplied orange bags to help residents voluntarily recycle materials not accepted in regular recycling programmes, such as candy wrappers, foam packaging, and plastics wrap.
These would then be responsibly converted into end-markets, via both mechanical and chemical recycling, and cement kilns (dependent on community preference).
However, a statement on the company’s website revealed that while participation had remained strong, the recycling infrastructure needed to consistently manage such a broad range of materials and align with community preferences had ‘not developed at the pace or scale anticipated’.
Reflecting the recycling challenges
The decision reflects ‘the challenges of operating a programme with such a broad material scope at the scale envisioned and does not diminish the commitment and enthusiasm shown by participating communities and residents’, Hefty stated.
‘As such, we have not been able to execute the programme as intended. To stay true to our commitment to ethical and transparent solutions, we’re responsibly phasing out the programme.’
According to Reynolds Consumer Products, which is owned by Hefty, the programme brought kerbside collection opportunities to more than 2.3 million households, and more than 3,500 tonnes of hard-to-recycle materials were diverted from landfill.
‘We are deeply grateful to the families, communities, and local partners that embraced the programme and made it possible,’ Hefty stated.
‘Most importantly, we want participants to know that their efforts mattered. Together, the programme demonstrated both the opportunities and challenges associated with collecting and managing hard-to-recycle plastics at scale.’
Disappointment in Boise
Boise, in Idaho, is one of the US cities that registered with the scheme.
“It’s disappointing to see the orange bag programme come to an end after keeping approximately 2,000t of plastics out of our local landfill since 2018,” said Boise public works director Steve Burgos.
“It is even more critical now that we remain mindful of what we are buying and how much waste we are creating, as we work towards a resilient future.”
Hefty is now working with retailers to discontinue distribution of the ReNew orange bags by the end of 2026.
Collection of Hefty ReNew materials will continue through to 30 June 2027. After that date, consumers with unused bags can contact Hefty for return and refund instructions.
Hefty said it would then coordinate the responsible processing of any returned bags.
