Boat-hull recycling effort gets grant

THE RHODE ISLAND MARINE TRADES ASSOCIATION is using a grant from a national nonprofit to publicize an initiative it is piloting to recycle fiberglass boat hulls – which now take up limited Rhode Island landfill space – into cement.
THE RHODE ISLAND MARINE TRADES ASSOCIATION is using a grant from a national nonprofit to publicize an initiative it is piloting to recycle fiberglass boat hulls – which now take up limited Rhode Island landfill space – into cement.

BRISTOL – A Rhode Island Marine Trade Association and R.I. Sea Grant fiberglass-boat recycling project just got a boost.

RIMTA announced a grant award for its Rhode Island Fiberglass Vessel Recycling initiative – from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. The nonprofit foundation, based in Maryland, has a mission of promoting clean, safe and responsible boating, according to its website.

Stay Ahead of Winter Respiratory Illnesses: Expert Advice from South County Health Express Care Providers

As winter progresses, so does the season of respiratory illnesses. Colds, the flu, RSV, and…

Learn More

The RIMTA effort the grant now supports would result in a reduction in fiberglass materials taking up space in landfills, and more reuse gained by dismantling and reprocessing fiberglass boat hulls into cement.

“There is no sustainable infrastructure for the disposal of these abandoned, derelict and end-of-life fiberglass boats – and different states struggle with this issue for different reasons,” said Eric Ridley, RIMTA project manager. In Rhode Island’s case, the state’s small size and limited landfill space make it a sustainable solution to this fiberglass waste, said Ridley.

- Advertisement -

The project could have applications in other parts of the United States, however, such as in Florida or the Carolinas, which are susceptible to hurricanes that damage boats, rendering them ready for disposal.

Ridley said the grant will be used to help spread the word about the project, supporting the creation of multimedia materials for marinas, boat yards, boat owners and those in the Rhode Island marine trade.

According to Ridley, the next step is to test the fiberglass materials that have been collected in Rhode Island in a specialized cement kiln. That step is slated for 2019. He hopes other states can learn from the pilot’s findings and that the processes can be used beyond boat disposal, creating other waste solutions for fiberglass materials.

“Boats constructed with composite materials offer an incredible opportunity for our state to establish a new network for the collection and recycling of high-value waste,” he said.

Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.

No posts to display