Shrinkwrap Recycling 2025

Please consider joining our annual effort to recycle boat shrinkwrap and raise funds for the Marine Trades Association of Maryland. In 2025, we are again partnering with Maryland DNR’s Clean Marina Program, Chesapeake Materials, and various local groups to recycle shrinkwrap.

This year we aim to increase the number of participating businesses. Remember, mountains of wrap used each year are ending up in landfills here in Maryland, and cost marine facilities lots of money in the process. The goal of this program is to maintain income for marine facilities for shrinkwrapping while recycling the material once vessels are commissioned for the season.

Here’s how it works:

• MTAM sells and distributes bags that hold up to 40 lbs of clean shrinkwrap to participating marinas, boatyards and marine service companies. We can also sell to individual boaters who are living in Queen Anne’s County.
• Cost of each bag is $15. The order includes 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 in order to be made acceptable to any recycler. 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. BIODEGRADABLE SHRINK IS NOT ACCEPTED. ONLY REGULAR SHRINKWRAP CAN BE RECYCLED.
• All wrap must be bagged.
• We ran a test of putting the wrap into one of the bags. We fit the wrap from a 35-foot boat into one of the bags. By condensing the wrap, you may get more in the bag, but we ask that you keep the weight to 40 lbs maximum.

Questions and orders for bags email John Stefancik: jstefancik@mtam.org

Bags are being delivered throughout the month of March

Thanks for making the effort to Recycle and Supporting MTAM!