Boat Shrink Wrap Recycling Program
WHOI Sea Grant partners with Cape Cod Cooperative Extension and transfers stations at towns across the Cape to conduct an annual boat shrink wrap recycling program. Over the years the program has expanded from a single container in a WHOI parking lot to collection sites across Cape Cod. Collection totals have risen from one ton in 2018 to 46 tons in 2024.
2025 Collection Program Info
WHOI Sea Grant has partnered with Barnstable County, and five towns across the Cape to collect and recycle boat shrink wrap for Cape Cod residents.
See below for collection locations, hours, and town-specific details. All facilities ONLY accept clean shrink wrap (free of strapping, non-shrink wrap plastic, etc.).
Bourne Int. Solid Waste Management Facility
Route 28
201 MacArthur Bvd.
Bourne, MA 02532
» Hours: Mon.-Fri., 7 am - 3 pm; Sat., 7 am - noon
» Details: Shrink wrap collection is free for Cape residents. No sticker required. Commercial entities (e.g., boatyards, marinas, yacht clubs) will be required to go over the scale and pay. Cost TBD. All material must be free of non-shrink wrap material.
Chatham Transfer Station
97 Sam Ryder Road
Chatham, MA 02633
» Hours: Thurs.-Tues., 8 am - 4 pm
» Details: Shrink wrap collection is free for Cape residents. No sticker required. Commercial entities (e.g., boatyards, marinas, yacht clubs) will be charged $50/ton. All material must be clean and free of non-shrink wrap material.
Eastham Transfer Station
555 Old Orchard Road
Eastham, MA 02642
» Hours: Sat.-Wed., 7:30 am - 3:00 pm
» Details: Shrink wrap collection is free for Eastham residents. Non-Eastham residents will be charged $10. Commercial entities (e.g., boatyards, marinas, yacht clubs) will be charged $165/ton. All material must be clean and free of non-shrink wrap material.
Falmouth Waste Management Facility
458 Thomas B Landers Rd
East Falmouth, MA 02536
» Hours: Tues.-Sat., 8 am - 2:30 pm
» Details: Shrink wrap collection is free for Cape residents. This facility does not accept shrink wrap from commercial entities (e.g., haulers, marinas, yacht clubs and boatyards).
Wellfleet Transfer/Recycling Center
370 Coles Neck Road
Wellfleet, MA 02667
» Hours: Fri.–Tues., 8 am – 3:30 pm
» Details: Shrink wrap collection is free for residents and businesses in Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown only.
CLEAN WRAP ONLY
The wrap must be free of all non-shrink wrap material, including the plastic straps used to cinch the wrap to the belly of the boat. The best way to remove shrink wrap is to cut the wrap above the strap around the belly of the boat, so the straps fall away, leaving only shrink wrap. Watch our video to see how it works. Contaminated material will not be accepted.
When recycling boat shrink wrap
Please follow these important instructions
- Remove all rope, strapping, wood frames, doors, zippers, and other non-shrink material.
- Shrink wrap should be clean and dry.
- Bundle shrink wrap and tie it using a strip of shrink wrap.
- For more details, watch our "how-to" video.
Video: 2023 Collection Results
Past Programs
Support our program
Your donation helps us recycle more plastic, keeping it out of the landfill.