Be ‘plastic-free in the Salish Sea’ this boating season
Published 1:30 am Saturday, April 25, 2026
Submitted by San Juan County.
The San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship and Plastic Free Salish Sea are piloting a recycling program to make it easy for people to recycle the plastic film on their shrink-wrapped boats.
Did you know, the plastic on a single 25-foot boat is the equivalent of 2,060 plastic bags — or the amount an average American uses in five-and-a-half years?!
Just in time for spring boating season, the pilot program is offering a limited number of free Dr. Shrink Recycling Bags for boaters to put their clean, properly prepared plastic wrap in. How it works:
First, boaters can pick up the bags on San Juan Island by contacting the County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship at 360-370-0599.
• Then, boaters can fill the bags with the plastic shrink wrap and return them to the County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship by contacting them at 360-370-0599.
• Next, the bags will be added to the other plastic film collection bins at the San Juan Transfer Station.
• Finally, the full containers will be picked up by Lautenbach Recycling and delivered to Merlin Plastics in Delta, British Columbia, where the plastic film will be processed and remade into products like plant pots and carpet.
Shrink wrapping is a fast-growing trend used for storing and moving boats, cars, campers, etc. Most often, this plastic is single-use and ends up in landfills. This pilot program seeks to gauge the willingness of boaters and businesses to take the extra steps needed to recycle the material and to better understand the full costs of getting the film to the processing centers. If the pilot proves successful, island businesses that offer wrapping may be able to include the upfront costs of recycling into their service fees.
Plastic Free Salish Sea encourages people to think before you shrink!
Want a boat wrap recycling bag? Call the Environmental Stewardship Department at 360-370-0599.
Shrink wrap needs to be clean, and all the zippers, buckles, vents and ties need to be removed — only shrink wrap in the bags!
