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Ohio Sea Grant College Program
and Stone Laboratory

Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory

Shrink-Wrap Recycling Program

Shrink-wrap is commonly used for protecting recreational boats stored outside during the winter season from snow, ice, water, and debris. The plastic encloses the boat by shrinking when heated, providing a protective covering strong enough to hold the weight of snow and ice. In the spring, hundreds of thousands of pounds of shrink-wrap are removed from boats in Ohio. Historically, much of this material ended up in landfills.

In the spring of 2006, the Ohio Clean Marinas Program, together with Mondo Polymer Technologies, Inc. of Reno, Ohio began a shrink-wrap recycling program. This program offers marina owners and boaters a cost effective eco-friendly alternative to disposing of shrink-wrap.

The boat shrink-wrap recycling program provides a free shrink-wrap collection service to Lake Erie marinas. Collection occurs approximately once every two weeks from mid-April through June.

To schedule a shrink-wrap pick up

Contact Colleen Wellington, at 419.609.4120 or Colleen.Wellington@dnr.state.oh.us.

Impacts

  • In the first 3 years of the program, over 720,000 lbs of shrink-wrap has been recycled from 100+ Lake Erie Marinas
  • The average annual savings of participating marinas is $700 (due to reduced waste disposal costs)
  • The amount of shrink-wrap collected from 2006-2008 could cover Ohio’s 312 mile Lake Erie shoreline with a 13-foot wide strip of plastic
  • An estimated 100,000 guardrail blocks have been produced with the recycled shrink-wrap; that’s enough to protect 120 miles of Ohio highways

Shrink-Wrap Drawing

Any marina or boater contributing to the shrink-wrap recycling effort has an opportunity to enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50, $100, or $150 West Marine gift certificate. Simply send a note indicating your name, contact information, and when & where you recycled shrink-wrap to:

Colleen Wellington
Ohio Clean Marinas Program
Office of Coastal Management
105 West Shoreline Dr.
Sandusky, OH 44870

Contact info

Mondo Polymer Technologies, Inc.
Ronald E. Wesel
Phone: 740.376.9396
Email: ron@mondopolymer.com

Ohio Clean Marinas Program
Colleen Wellington
Phone: 419.609.4120
Email: Colleen.Wellington@dnr.state.oh.us

Ohio Clean Marinas Program
Dave Kelch
Phone: 440.326.5851
Email: kelch.3@osu.edu