In early 2024, Minnesota became the first U.S. state to establish a product stewardship program for boat wrap, which is plastic used to protect a boat against moisture and damage from other elements during storage or transportation. The law (Minn. Stat. § 115A.1416) requires boat wrap producers to:
- form or designate a stewardship organization
- become members of that stewardship organization
- operate under an approved stewardship plan submitted by March 1, 2025, to sell boat wrap or offer it for sale in or into Minnesota
The boat wrap product stewardship program must provide free collection, transportation, reuse, recycling, and disposal of boat wrap.
Boat wrap stewardship plan public meeting
The MPCA will host a virtual public meeting on the boat wrap stewardship law and draft stewardship plan. The meeting will include short presentations, time for questions and answers, and an opportunity for participants to provide comments on the draft plan.
Key dates and targets
- After Sept. 1, 2025, no one may use, sell, or offer boat wrap for sale in or into Minnesota unless the producer participates in the approved stewardship plan through the stewardship organization. The MPCA will maintain a list of producers that are identified as compliant within the stewardship plan on this page. Retailers are responsible for reviewing that list before purchasing, selling, or distributing boat wrap.
- By June 1, 2030, no less than 50 percent of the total weight of boat wrap sold in Minnesota must be collected and recycled.
- By June 1, 2035, no less than 80 percent of the total weight of boat wrap sold in Minnesota must be collected and recycled.
Open for public comment
The draft boat wrap stewardship plan is available for public comment through May 15, 2025.
Program oversight and participants
| Producers |
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| Retailers |
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| Stewardship organization |
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| MPCA |
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Definitions
"Boat wrap" means plastic that is used, intended for use, designed, or marketed for the purposes of wrapping a boat to protect it against moisture and damage from other potentially harmful elements during storage.
"Stewardship organization" means an organization designated by one or more producers to act on their behalf as an agent to design, submit, and implement a product stewardship plan under this law.
"Producer" means, with respect to boat wrap that is sold, offered for sale, imported, or distributed in the state by any means, a person who:
- manufactured the boat wrap under a brand that the person owns or controls
- owns or controls or is licensed to use a brand for boat wrap
- imported or imports the boat wrap into the United States
- distributed or distributes boat wrap in or into the state
"Retailer" means a person that sells or offers boat wrap for sale in or into this state by any means.
Stewardship plan
After producers designate a single stewardship organization, the stewardship organization must submit a stewardship plan to the MPCA by March 1, 2025. The stewardship plan must be developed in consultation with stakeholders, including boat owners, owners of marinas and boat storage establishments, contractors, collectors, recyclers, tribes, and local units of government. The stewardship plan is updated and submitted every five years and must include at a minimum:
- contact information for the individual and the entity submitting the plan, a list of all producers participating in the product stewardship program, and the brands of boat wrap included in the product stewardship program
- certification that the product stewardship program will accept all discarded boat wrap regardless of who produced it
- a description of the methods that will be used to collect boat wrap in all areas of the state without any fee, charge, surcharge, or other cost to members of the public, businesses other than a producer, entities managing boat wrap, the state, or a political subdivision
- an explanation of how the collection system will be convenient and adequate to serve the needs of boat owners, marinas, and boat storage establishments in both urban and rural areas on an ongoing basis
- a discussion of how existing marinas, boat storage establishments, and sites designated as recycling centers will be considered when selecting collection sites
- a description of how the performance of the collection and recycling program will be measured, monitored, and maintained
- the names and locations of collectors, transporters, reuse facilities, and recyclers that will manage discarded boat wrap
- a description of how discarded boat wrap will be safely and securely transported, tracked, and handled from collection through final recycling and disposal of residuals
- a description of the methods that will be used to separate and manage nonrecyclable materials attached to boat wrap and to recycle discarded boat wrap
- a description of the promotion and outreach activities that will be undertaken to encourage participation in the boat wrap collection and recycling programs and how their effectiveness will be evaluated
- the annual performance goals established by the MPCA per the law
- evidence of adequate insurance and financial assurance that may be required for collection, transport, reuse, recycling, and disposal operations
- a discussion of the status of end markets for collected boat wrap and what, if any, additional end markets are needed to improve the functioning of the program
Timeline
| Dates | Task(s) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | The MPCA hires staff and prepares (in progress). |
| March 1, 2025 | The stewardship organization submits stewardship plan to the MPCA for review and approval or rejection. |
| June 1, 2025 (and annually thereafter) | The MPCA identifies agency costs to administer and enforce the program. |
| July 1, 2025 (and annually thereafter) | The stewardship organization pays the required administrative fee. |
| Sept. 1, 2025 | No person may use boat wrap, sell boat wrap, or offer boat wrap for sale in or into Minnesota unless the producer participates in an approved stewardship plan through a stewardship organization. |
| March 1, 2026 (and annually thereafter) | The stewardship organization must submit an annual report to the MPCA. |
| June 1, 2030 | No less than 50% of the total weight of boat wrap sold in Minnesota must be collected and recycled. |
| June 1, 2035 | No less than 80% of the total weight of boat wrap sold in Minnesota must be collected and recycled. |