October 22 is Oyster Recycling Day in Charleston

October 22, 2024

The beloved Eastern oyster is receiving formal recognition in Charleston today, thanks to a proclamation by Mayor William Cogswell. Tuesday, Oct. 22 will be declared Oyster Recycling Day in the Holy City – and just in time for the proclamation, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has announced two new shell recycling locations in Charleston County.

The two new recycling locations replace former drop-off sites in West Ashley and North Charleston that were lost due to property ownership/management changes.

• At 1 Sumar Street in West Ashley, a recycling trailer is parked outside of the vacant lot (temporary location).
• At 2395 S. Hobson Ave in North Charleston, a permanent bin has been constructed on the right of the address just before you get to Transfer Solutions.

"Oysters are an important part of Charleston's history, culture, and ecosystem," said Mayor Cogswell. "Preserving this vital resource is essential for maintaining the health of our waterways and surrounding environments. We are grateful for partners like the Department of Natural Resources, whose dedication to recycling oysters and restoring our shorelines is crucial to our community's sustainability."

With the Oyster Recycling Day declaration, last declared in 2022, SCDNR biologists, municipal staff and longtime supporter Councilwoman Parker hope to motivate more recreational harvesters, backyard roasters and restaurants to recycle their shells. Over 30 public drop-off sites across the state and a free recycling program for participating restaurants from Greenville to Charleston make it easy for South Carolinians to make a difference.

"We are so fortunate to have dedicated partners like the City of Charleston and Councilwoman Caroline Parker, who are willing to donate time and energy to support shell recycling efforts," said Holly Sommers, who runs SCDNR's oyster shell recycling program. "Part of our mission is to raise awareness about the need to recycle shell, and we're always on the lookout for new locations to host permanent drop-off bins to make recycling shell convenient for everyone. But none of that would be successful without the city's support, as well as the restaurants (36 alone in the Charleston area), caterers, organizations and individuals who recycle with us and spread the word about how to 'roast responsibly.'

Oysters are hard-shelled mollusks that grow together in reef structures, and they play a critical role in South Carolina’s coastal economy, environment and culture. Reefs provide clean water through filtering, a natural barrier to protect coastal homes and communities from storms, a sustainable food resource and habitat to countless other marine species.

Oyster reefs need continual replenishment in order to remain sustainable – and the best way to provide that replenishment is by planting clean, quarantined oyster shells along the shoreline, which provides the preferred growing surface for baby oysters. That’s what SCDNR biologists and volunteers, through the South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement (SCORE) program, have done along the coast for over two decades.

As oyster populations have declined in some parts of the country and competition for shells has increased, sourcing enough oyster shells to replant South Carolina’s reefs has become a challenge. South Carolina has a critical shortage of the oyster shell that’s needed to replenish the state’s oyster reefs. Just a fraction of the oysters consumed in South Carolina are recycled – which means the state must purchase increasingly scarce, out-of-state shells to meet its planting quotas.

By recycling your shells, you can make a difference toward a healthy future for these iconic Lowcountry resources.

If you would like to partner with SCDNR, know of a potential location to host a permanent bin, are hosting an oyster roast and would like to inquire about our services, are a restaurant wanting to participate in our free shell recycling program or have other questions, please reach out to oystershellrecycling@dnr.sc.gov.

Tips for Recycling Your Oyster Shells

• DO bring your shell to the nearest shell recycling center. Find the nearest drop-off location online. If you're hosting a large roast, please call 843-953-9397 to find out if SCDNR can provide recycling bins for your event.
• DO separate shell from trash. Shell mixed with trash (including shell in bags or containers) is not suitable for recycling. Provide separate containers at your events for shells and trash.
• DON'T take shell from recycling locations. These valuable resources become property of the state once recycled and are illegal to remove. If you witness shell theft, you can report it to SCDNR's 24-hour wildlife hotline at 1-800-922-5431.
• DON'T put live oysters or freshly shucked shells in South Carolina waters. If the oysters you purchased were harvested outside South Carolina, it is illegal to place them in South Carolina waters. Placing live oysters in our waters can create environmental problems and may harm local oysters or other animals. To avoid contamination, shell should be recycled to SCDNR and properly quarantined for six months.