WOODS HOLE – Over the past year, the Cape-wide Shrink Wrap Recycling Program coordinated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Cape Cod Cooperative Extension successfully diverted over 46 tons of plastic from ending up in landfills.
Founded to counteract the prevalence of plastic shrink wraps used to protect boats from the elements eventually becoming waste, the program has steadily grown from a humble collection of approximately 3.6 tons of trash in 2019 to 25 tons in 2024, with a private hauler adding another 21 tons of recycled waste.
Regional boaters have positively greeted the program, which allows for no-cost recycling as long as surrendered wraps are free from any non-shrink wrap material such as plastic strapping, with the towns bearing the cost of transporting the plastic waste to a materials recovery facility in Brockton.
Despite the positive trend in interested boaters, officials with the organization say much work remains to be done.
“We are thrilled to have recycled 46 tons of shrink wrap on Cape Cod this year,” said Kari Parcell, regional waste reduction coordinator with the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, “but it’s still a drop in the bucket when you look at all the boats that get covered in plastic.”
To learn more about the program and its ongoing efforts to battle plastic pollution, click here.
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