The Hefty EnergyBag program has just expanded to Hamilton and Bradley counties, helping residents build on their current recycling efforts to convert hard-to-recycle plastics into resources. Chattanooga is currently one of his five communities in the country participating in this program. The program has so far diverted over 2,000 tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastic from landfills.
Many Chattanooga residents have already started receiving starter kits containing Hefty EnergyBag orange bags this week.
Chattanooga resident Brian Wright received a grant from the Sustainability and Recycling Pitch & Pilot Competition in 2021 to pilot the Hefty EnergyBag program to collect hard-to-recycle plastics from 67 households in the Jefferson Heights area. This pilot was the catalyst for the formal expansion of the program to areas where more than 200,000 Chattanooga households are currently covered by the program.
The Hefty EnergyBag program provides a simple and convenient solution for hard-to-recycle plastics such as plastic utensils, candy wrappers, pet food bags and foam takeout containers. The program is an easy addition to current recycling routines, keeping these plastics out of landfills and converting materials into resources, officials said.
Usage:
1. Purchase a Hefty EnergyBag orange bag at Hefty.com or Target.com.
2. Start collecting accepted hard-to-recycle plastics in orange bags.
3. Take the bag to one of Chattanooga’s five recycling convenience centers.
5955 Brainerd Road
1250 E. Third Street
3189 Cummings Hwy
8004 Batters Place Road
4504 N. Access Road
4. The recycling center separates these bags from other materials and sends them to facilities that use hard-to-recycle plastics as an energy source. Or break them down to create new useful products. However, be sure to continue with your normal recycling routine. The Hefty EnergyBag program complements traditional recycling, not replaces it.
For more information, visit the Hefty EnergyBag Chattanooga website page here.
