Boat shrink wrap recycling program returns

A free boat shrink wrap recycling program is returning this spring, offering area boaters a convenient way to dispose of seasonal plastic waste.

A drop-off event is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jefferson Township Health Center in Lake Hopatcong. Sussex County residents can also bring shrink wrap Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., to the Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority Solid Waste Facility in Lafayette.

Organizers said the program, now in its fourth year, has diverted more than 50 tons of material from the waste stream. The initiative is offered at no cost to participants.

The effort is a collaboration among the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority, Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority, Roxbury Clean Communities, Jefferson Township and Ultra-Poly, a Pennsylvania-based recycler. The program has also been recognized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for leadership in waste reduction.

“Recycling boat shrink wrap is a simple yet impactful way to protect our environment,” said Kellie Ann Keyes, recycling coordinator for Roxbury Township.

Kyle Richter, executive director of the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, said the program helps reduce plastic waste entering landfills and waterways while giving boaters a practical way to contribute to environmental protection.

Collected material is processed through a closed-loop recycling system and converted into small pellets used to manufacture products such as composite lumber and packaging.

Organizers ask participants to remove non-plastic materials, including ropes and zippers, and to clean and bundle shrink wrap before drop-off.