News · Environment · Published 11 July 2026
Sweden extends support for scrapping old boats and two-stroke engines
Individuals, organisations, companies and municipalities can use Båtretur to arrange environmentally responsible disposal.
DailySweden Editorial Desk
Updated 00:53 · 3 min read
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Sweden is continuing to fund the environmentally responsible disposal of worn-out and abandoned leisure boats and older two-stroke engines during 2026.
The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management says old boats left in nature add to plastic pollution and release other hazardous substances that can damage organisms in sensitive marine and freshwater environments.
Municipalities, non-profit organisations, private individuals and legal entities can contact Båtretur to arrange the scrapping of an unwanted or abandoned leisure boat. The scheme also covers two-stroke engines fitted with carburettors.
Individuals, organisations, companies and municipalities can use Båtretur to arrange environmentally responsible disposal.
Båtretur is a national, non-profit network for collecting and recycling leisure boats and these older engines. It can help users locate a transporter anywhere in the country, simplifying the process of moving a boat to an appropriate recycling facility.
Environment essentials
The agency says its financing has existed since 2018, although the scale and focus have changed over time. Between 2018 and 2025, it provided almost SEK 37 million.
That support resulted in more than 4,100 boats and around 60 two-stroke engines being removed from seas, lakes and waterways across Sweden.
What happens now
The 2026 programme accepts boats weighing at least 100 kilograms and no more than 10 tonnes. Eligible owners or organisations can submit a request through Båtretur's website.
The environmental purpose is broader than removing visible litter. Boats and engines that remain abandoned can introduce plastics and dangerous substances into water environments, where they may harm aquatic organisms.
The agency has financed boat-scrapping campaigns since 2018 to encourage more owners and organisations to deal with vessels that have reached the end of their useful lives. It says the scale of pollution from plastics and hazardous substances means the problem remains significant.
Anyone with an eligible boat or carburetted two-stroke engine can begin by sending a scrapping request to Båtretur. The network then assists with the collection and recycling route.
The continuation of funding means the service remains available in 2026 to private owners as well as municipalities, associations and companies, rather than being limited to public bodies dealing with boats whose owners cannot be found.
DailySweden Editorial Desk
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