Disney Cruise Line Recycles Mooring Lines to Cut Waste

A mooring line
Environment Cruise Industry
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Updated Published

Disney Cruise Line has launched a sustainability initiative aimed at reducing landfill waste by fully recycling around 225,000 pounds of retired mooring lines from its fleet.

According to a company press release, mooring lines—typically replaced every seven to ten years to meet safety standards—have traditionally been sent to landfills or incinerated for energy. Instead, Disney has now diverted over 20 miles of these polypropylene plastic lines to be repurposed into new items.

To facilitate the process, Disney partnered with specialized recycling companies that grind the lines into plastic pellets, which are then used to manufacture everyday products such as buckets, clothes hangers, and flowerpots.

“We saw the opportunity to think creatively and collaborate with plastic recycling experts to address the industry-wide challenge of discarding and replacing mooring lines,” said Barry Compagnoni, Disney Cruise Line’s vice president of safety, sustainability and medical operations.

“As our fleet experiences a period of tremendous growth, we feel a responsibility to continue implementing innovative solutions that minimize our impact on the environment,” Compagnoni added.

In addition to recycling mooring lines, Disney Cruise Line has introduced a variety of eco-conscious practices to limit waste and reduce single-use plastics, including:

  • Operating Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point without guest-facing single-use plastic items
  • Purchasing guest room towels in bulk to cut plastic wrapping
  • Offering reusable shopping bags onboard
  • Installing refillable dispensers for bath products
  • Serving coffee in fully paper-based cups
  • Recycling materials across its ships
  • Eliminating plastic straws fleetwide
  • Replacing plastic water bottles with recyclable aluminum alternatives
  • Designing crew uniforms using recycled plastics
  • Encouraging suppliers to pursue waste-reducing innovations

These efforts reflect Disney’s broader commitment to environmental responsibility as the company continues to expand its fleet.