What You Need to Know About the Hefty ReNew Program

Aug 01, 2024

A specialized recycling program for those harder-to-recycle plastics is now available to Franklin County residents who have access to curbside recycling or frequent a SWACO recycling drop-off location. Through a new partnership with Hefty and Rumpke, some plastics such as chip bags, granola bar wrappers, plastic film, plastic cutlery, and Styrofoam are now accepted in the Hefty ReNew bag. A full list of the items that can be recycled in the special orange ReNew bags can be found here.  Once it’s filled with the acceptable plastics, simply tie it up and place in your recycling cart at home or take it to a SWACO recycling drop-off, and Rumpke will handle the rest. Continue to place all other types of recyclables such as cans, plastic bottles and tubs, and all paper products loose in your recycling carts. Rumpke processes those materials at its facility and keeping them loose ensures the highest likelihood of recovery. The Hefty ReNew bags will be separated out at the recycling facility and sent to another site for processing.

The new bags are sold alongside the regular trash bags at retailers such as Target, Kroger, Walmart, and Meijer. Click here for a full list of participating retailers or, if you want to test out the ReNew program first without commitment to a full box, you can request a free starter kit here.

This new program helps us to divert waste from our county landfill, reduce dependance on fossil fuels, and increase the efficiency of our recycling facilities.  To learn more about recycling in Franklin County, including where to drop off other hard-to-recycle items, visit RecycleRight.org.