Submitted by San Juan County
September is Emergency Preparedness Month – an opportunity to learn about the ways you can prepare yourself, your property, and your community for emergencies. San Juan County is taking steps to prevent emergencies on the water by managing a Derelict Vessel Program at https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/496/Derelict-Vessel-Program.
In honor of Emergency Preparedness Month, the program is kicking off plans for another Free Vessel Turn-in opportunity in 2025 after a successful event last spring. Do you have a boat that is in poor condition but don’t have the resources to repair or dispose of it properly? Now is the time to prepare and explore your options!
2024 Vessel Turn-In Event
In April of 2024, 14 vessels of various types and sizes from all over San Juan County were accepted into a voluntary Vessel Recycling Turn-In Event held at the Port of Friday Harbor. Of the nearly 50 tons of scrap wood, metal and plastic, 47.81 tons were successfully recycled by working with the sorting and recycling programs run through DTG Recycling in Tacoma, Washington.
“Our goal was to make it easier for qualifying local boat owners to responsibly dispose of their old boats for recycling before they caused environmental or navigational problems,” said the Derelict Vessel Coordinator for the County, Kari Koski. “This was accomplished at no cost to the owners or the County.”
Additionally, over 240 gallons of mixed fuels and other hazardous liquids including various aerosols, solvents, and cleaning products, 22 fire extinguishers, one propane tank, and 443 pounds of marine batteries were safely disposed of rather than ending up in the marine environment.
This turn-in event was a pilot program, thanks to the joint efforts of the San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship, San Juan County Marine Resources Committee, Port of Friday Harbor, Northwest Straits Commission, and Washington Department of Natural Resources.
Vessel Turn-in Events Protect the Environment
Abandoned and derelict vessels can pose a significant threat to our coastal environments and communities. These vessels not only deteriorate over time, leaking pollutants into the water, but they also obstruct waterways, endanger marine life, and diminish the recreational value of our coastlines. DNR currently has more than 300 vessels of concern identified for removal in Washington’s waterways.
Vessel Turn-in Events Save Money
Taking early action to prevent vessels from becoming abandoned significantly reduces costs to vessel owners and derelict vessel management programs like those run by San Juan County and DNR.
“In San Juan County, salvaging one 20–30-foot abandoned vessel can range anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 or more,” Koski explained.
The cost of recovering and disposing of abandoned derelict vessels varies depending on vessel condition, size, and if the vessel is aground or sunk.
“The cost savings from hosting the vessel turn in event in San Juan allowed our team of partners to reduce costs to approximately $4,300 per vessel, or roughly one quarter of the typical recovery and disposal cost,” said Adam Parrot from the Port of Friday Harbor and a San Juan County Marine Resources Committee member.
Funding for this program was provided in part by DNR’s Vessel Turn-In Program and Northwest Straits Commission via federal funding from NOAA.
The Vessel Turn-In Program is managed by DNR to help prevent boats from becoming derelict or abandoned and to keep pollution out of our marine habitats. Have an old boat? Find out if you qualify visit https://www.dnr.wa.gov/derelict-vessels.
The County is planning to host another Free Vessel Turn-in opportunity in 2025. More information will be made available when the date and location is set. Have you seen a derelict or abandoned vessel in San Juan County? Report it and find out more about local prevention efforts at https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/496/Derelict-Vessel-Program.
