Page 22 - Mid America Boating - January 2025 issue

“The Ohio Boat Shrink Wrap Recycling smaller marinas that do not have room for
Program is key to protecting our envi- the old truck to maneuver.”
ronment,” said ODNR Division of Parks & A second grant, from the Ottawa Sandusky
JANUARY 2025 [ MID-AMERICA BOATING ] 22
Watercraft Chief Glenn Cobb. “Grants from Seneca (OSS) Solid Waste Management
the Ottawa Sandusky Seneca Solid Waste District to Carroll Township, provides
Management District and the Ohio EPA $7,000 for two billboards along State Route
help this program grow and improve. These 2 in Ottawa County, encouraging boaters to
funds boost our program partners’ recy- recycle their shrink wrap. The first billboard
cling efforts, encourage boaters to recycle, will be up in June 2024 for three months,
and help preserve our waterways and with the second appearing in March 2025
natural resources for the future.” ahead of the boating season. These bill-
A grant from the Ohio Environmental boards aim to promote the program and
Protection Agency (EPA) to CLI, Inc., provides encourage responsible recycling behavior
nearly $75,000 for equipment to boost the among boaters.
organization’s efficiency and capacity for The program faces significant challenges,
shrink wrap recycling. Firelands Local LLC particularly contamination of shrink wrap at
– the business service collection points and
division of CLI, Inc. – drop-off events. Nylon
has collected 30,000 straps, necessary to
pounds of shrink wrap secure the shrink wrap
this year and will use during the off-season,
the funds to purchase a must be completely
new box truck for recy- removed by boaters for
cling pick-up efforts at the material to be recy-
marinas throughout clable. Additionally,
Ohio boat shrink wrap recycling Northern Ohio. The a new trend of shrink
grant will also support
wrap with felt backing
the purchase of wire has emerged, making
program continues to thrive bins and shipping recycling impossible.
containers to be placed “We need the coop-
strategically at marinas eration of all stakehold-
By Jill Jentes Banicki, near Lake Erie as ers—boaters, marinas,
Assistant Director, Communications, Ohio Sea Grant College Program public drop-off points. and manufacturers—to
“We have dispensed 15% of the wire bins, ensure the success of the recycling program,
The Ohio Boat Shrink Wrap Recycling Program is continuing its mission of collecting plastic and they have been very well received,” said said Ohio Clean Marinas Program Manager
before it reaches a landfill by helping secure two new grants for its partners. So far in 2024, James Johnson, the head of the program Sarah Orlando. “Proper preparation of shrink
nearly 50,000 pounds of boat shrink wrap has been collected. That’s in addition to the more with Firelands Local LLC. “Once we get the wrap is crucial to keeping thousands of
than 2.3 million pounds recovered since the program started in 2006, a collaboration created box truck, it will allow us to deliver the bins pounds of material out of Ohio landfills.”
by the Ohio Clean Marinas Program. Shrink wrapping boats is a way to protect them during in a more timely and economical way. The The grants from the OSS Solid Waste
the wintertime and wrapping a 25-foot boat is equivalent to 2,062 plastic shopping bags. smaller truck will also enable us to access Management District and Ohio EPA will help

It only takes an instant for a drowning to occur.
No matter your experience on the water, always
wear a life jacket.

To learn more about safe boating in
.
Ohio visit ohiodnr.gov/boating.