Shrinkwrap does a great job keeping boats clean and protected but it also is a single use plastic that generate tons of waste. The manufacturing of the wrap also contributes to air pollution. The Maryland Clean Marina Program is taking a two pronged approach to prevent this plastic waste and recycle what there is. Boaters are encouraged to Reduce, Reuse, and then Recycle.
Reduce!
Think Before You Shrink!
Reuse: Buy reusable boat covers or find a second or third use for shrink wrap.
- Buy reusable boat covers (semi-custom covers are comparable to 2-3 years' shrink-wrapping)
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Reusing Your Shrinkwrap --for the Thrifty!
Recycle Shrinkwrap In partnership with the Marine Trades Association of Maryland (MTAM) and Chesapeake Materials, and numerous boatyards across the state, the Maryland Clean Marina Program is working to help recycle shrinkwrap to reduce plastic waste. Since 2019 we have recycled over
175,000 pounds of shrinkwrap. Best efforts to recycle can fail due to the need to keep the wrap pure in order to make it reusable. All straps and debris must be removed. Help us to make this program a success.
June 2022 Article Boats on the Bay Shrinking the Impacts.
BOATERS:
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Boaters using marinas should encourage the marina or boatyard to participate in the Maryland shrinkwrap recycling program! They can contact
Marine TradesAssociation Maryland to order supplies. Boaters recycling at boatyard must follow the
do's and don'ts.
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Residents of Anne Arundel and Queen Anne’s County who store their boat at home can now recycle their shrinkwrap too! ONLY BAGGED WRAP WILL BE ACCEPTED. ALL STRAPS/BANDS/ZIPPERS AND DOORS MUST BE REMOVED as they contaminate the plastic and ruin the load.
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Anne Arundel County: Pick up a recycling bag at a county West Marine store or at Fawcett’s boat supplies in Annapolis. Remove all straps/bands/zippers doors, pack the wrap into your bag(s) and take it to a County Recycling station by June 1 st . Shrinkwrap recycling dumpsters are available at:
- Central Recycling Station 389 Burns Crossing Rd, Severn, MD 21144
- Northern Recycling Station 100 Dover Rd NE, Glen Burnie, MD 21060
- Herrington Harbour North, Deale 389 Deale Rd, Deale, MD 20779
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Queen Anne’s County: Pick up a recycling bag at the West Marine in Chester or the local Ace Hardware. Remove all straps/bands/zippers/doors and pack the wrap into your bag(s). Take your wrap to the Grasonville Transfer station at 401 Gravel Run Rd, Grasonville, MD 21638. Complete details are available on the
Queen Anne’s County website.
MARINAS/BOATYARDS: Participate in our program! Here’s how it works:
- MTAM will sell and distribute bags that hold up to 40 lbs of clean shrinkwrap to participating marinas and boatyards. (We still can not sell to individual boaters.)
- Cost of each bag will be $15. This cost will include the pickup/transportation and recycling of the filled bags. These are the hard costs to make this program work.
- Critical to the successful recycling of boat shrinkwrap is keeping it pure and clean. All straps, zippers, doors and vents must be removed for the wrap to be accepted by any recyclers. Dates for pick-up will be sent out to you early in the season so that you will have time to prepare and plan to get the wrap bagged in time.
- Only bagged wrap will be accepted by Chesapeake Materials.
- Bags hold the wrap from up to a 35-foot boat. By condensing the wrap, you may get more in the bag, but we ask that you keep the weight to 40 lbs maximum. See demo video here!
- Visit the
Marine Trades Association of Maryland online to purchase bags or learn more.
- Direct questions to
shrinkwrap@mtam.org.
