Most of us are familiar with recycling the basics—plastic bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard boxes. But what about all those other plastics that don’t fit into your blue bin? Think chip bags, foam cups, plastic utensils, and food wrappers. These items usually end up in the trash, even though they make up a big part of our daily waste stream.

That’s where the Hefty® EnergyBag® program comes in. It’s a new resource now available in Forsyth County (and several other Georgia communities) that gives residents a way to recycle the plastics that normally have no home.

Orange Trash BagsWhat Counts as “Hard-to-Recycle Plastics”?

The list is longer than you might think! Examples include:

  • Foam takeout containers and cups

  • Plastic utensils and straws

  • Chip bags, candy wrappers, and other film packaging

  • Yogurt cups and pudding cups

  • Plastic plates and bowls

In short, if it’s plastic but doesn’t have a recycling symbol, chances are it belongs in this category.

How the Hefty® EnergyBag® Program Works

It’s simple:

  1. Buy the orange bags. A box of 20 costs about $9.99 and is sold locally or online.

  2. Fill them up. Collect your hard-to-recycle plastics as you go about your week.

  3. Drop them off. Take full orange bags to designated drop-off locations (like the Cumming Recycling Center at 6485 Old Atlanta Road).

Once collected, these bags are transported to a special facility that processes them into new products and energy resources—keeping tons of plastic out of landfills.

Why This Matters

Plastics don’t just vanish when we throw them away. They linger in landfills for decades, break down into microplastics, and harm ecosystems. By separating and recycling these overlooked items, we:

  • Reduce landfill waste.

  • Support cleaner parks and waterways.

  • Create useful products and energy from materials that would otherwise pollute.

 

How Clean Canton Can Help

At Clean Canton, our mission has always been about more than just picking up litter. It’s about building awareness, reducing waste, and empowering our community to take action.

That’s why we’re excited to share information about the Hefty® EnergyBag® program. We encourage everyone in Canton to give it a try. Imagine if every family filled just one orange bag per month—the difference in our community would be huge.

 

Get Involved

  • Take the “One Orange Bag Challenge.” Commit to filling at least one bag this month.

  • Share your progress. Post a photo on social media with #CleanCanton so others can see the impact.

  • Join a cleanup. Keep an eye on our Scheduled Cleanups page to get involved with hands-on events.

Together, we can make Canton a cleaner, greener place—one bag at a time.