||| FROM KGW-TV PORTLAND |||
Twenty-nine vessels were recently removed from the Salish Sea and brought to a Bellingham recycling facility to be broken down as part of a state program aimed at preventing a growing environmental crisis.
Hundreds of broken-down, sinking boats are littering Washington’s waterways. They often sit for years leaking gas and oil, polluting the ecosystem and leaving taxpayers with the bill.
Now, the state is working to get ahead of the problem.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) operates a program that offers boat owners a way to dispose of vessels that are no longer seaworthy. For those who can’t afford the cost, the state will pick up and recycle the boat for free.
“I think it’s exciting to see the actual breakdown of these vehicles because if we weren’t doing this they’d be breaking down in Puget Sound,” said State Land Commissioner Dave Upthegrove.
The abandoned vessels pose multiple threats to Washington’s marine environment. They create safety hazards for other boats, often contain toxic materials that damage water quality and can harm marine habitats.
At least 300 derelict vessels are currently sitting on Washington’s waterways. The department hopes that giving owners a free disposal option before boats start sinking can prevent costly underwater recoveries.
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