PROVIDENCE R.I. (WLNE) – As winter approaches, boat owners are once again pulling their boats out of the water until spring. Max Kraimer with Clean Ocean Access says, “In Rhode Island right now there’s about 40,000 boats registered.” Part of the winterization process includes wrapping boats with plastic shrink wrap, a lot of it. Kraimer says, “Those 40,000 boats are using close to around 600,000 pounds of material every year.” Dave McLaughlin with Clean Ocean Access says, “Certainly having a reusable material is the preferred choice.  Having something that has convenience that you recycle, and you use it again for the same utility, is what we’re striving to do.” Recycling programs have been around for a while, but those programs were sending plastic overseas to be recycled.  Back in 2017, that changed when China stopped accepting plastic for recycling.  That’s where Clean Ocean Access comes in with their new recycling program. Kraimer says, “So now with our project, we’re looking to find new avenues to actually recycle it, in which we’re working with TerraCycle in New Jersey.” For now, the shrink wrap is being turned into other plastic products, like garbage bags.  Clean Ocean Access would like to see it come full circle, finding a manufacturer who will make new shrink wrap from the recycled plastic. Kraimer says, “What we really want to dive into in this project is ask and answer the questions of why plastic wrap and plastic shrink wrap that is used is not being made out of post consumer recycled resin.” This year, they sent 40,000 pounds of plastic to be recycled.  They’re hoping to scale up in the future so more boat owners and marinas can participate. (Edit for clarity: The 40,000 pounds of plastic in the last line of this article refers only to shrink wrap that originated from the Rhode Island marine industry.  The project also helps to collect plastic shrink wrap for recycling from the Massachusetts marine industry and the Rhode Island agriculture industry.  All combined, the program has collected, and sent for recycling, a total of more than 140,000 pounds of plastic shrink wrap.) © WLNE-TV / ABC6 2020