This remote Maine island needs a good way to get rid of tons of old lobster gear

On Matinicus Island, pot warp—the rope linking buoys to traps—poses a disposal challenge. While natural fiber rots, plastics used today persist as microplastics and can emit oily residues when burned. Eva Murray, a longtime island resident, runs a volunteer waste program relying on ferry service and a mainland transfer system.

Nearly 5 tons of rope left Matinicus on April 23 via a rented truck bound for a New Bedford warehouse, a local success that highlights disposal gaps. Maine lacks a statewide system, so towns bear the costs and logistics. The trip showed what it takes to move gear from a remote island and argued for a dedicated Maine facility for marine debris.