Did you know we use oyster shells to restore our shorelines?
The Delaware River and Bay need you to “give a shuck” and help recycle oyster shells!

Did you know that oyster shells are recyclable? While millions of oysters are being harvested each year, only a fraction of shells are ever returned to the water. Oyster shells oftentimes pile up in dumpsters of local restaurants and get disposed of in landfills. PDE’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program is working to save those shells to help improve the health of the Delaware Estuary

Through PDE’s program, oyster shells are collected from partner restaurants in Philadelphia, PA and Wilmington, DE and eventually are returned to the Delaware Bay. Oyster reefs provide important ecosystem services, such as water filtration, habitat creation, and erosion control. By recycling spent shells, PDE’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program is helping support the development of oyster reefs to better provide these services back to the Delaware Bay.  With the help of volunteers, recycled shell is bagged and later implemented into living shoreline installations in the Bay so new oysters can grow, habitats are created, and shorelines are protected. To learn more about the science behind restoration, check out our oyster page!

Shell Recycling Volunteers 2023

Check out our Flickr photo album for more great photos!

Thank You to Our Current Partners and Supporters!

This work wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing dedication and support from volunteers, restaurant partners, and program funders.

Program funders and supporters have included DuPont Clear into the Future, the Welfare Foundation, the Delaware Recycling Public Advisory Council, EDiS, PADEP Growing Greener, Philadelphia Water Department, the HDR Foundation, Eastern Highway Specialists, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and an EPA Assistance Agreement.