Shell Recycling Program Update

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The Shell Recycling Program, which has collected discarded clam and oyster shells from New Jersey restaurants since 2019, has significantly expanded its operations year after year, but 2025 will go down as its biggest year to date. From monumental partnerships and education programs to larger-scale shell plantings and public drop-offs, NJ Fish & Wildlife’s Marine Resources Administration staff seek to continue to advance the program while providing more opportunities to engage with the public to better our coastal environment.

Close-up of an eastern oyster shell commonly found in New Jersey coastal waters and estuarine habitats. — An eastern oyster, an important shellfish species that supports water quality, coastal habitats, and recreational shellfishing in New Jersey waters.

The program now serves over 30 restaurant partners across Atlantic, Ocean, and Cape May Counties, and completed its largest shell planting to date this past summer, when over 25,000 bushels (approximately 800 tons) of recycled and purchased shell were planted back into the marine environment to benefit local oyster populations. 2025 marked the opening of the program’s first public drop-off locations, where the public can recycle shell after they enjoy a seafood meal at home. Additionally, an educational program known as Project S.H.E.L.L (Strengthening Habitats through Environmental Learning and Leadership) was launched, in which students in Atlantic City and surrounding area schools engage in experiential learning opportunities in the marine and environmental sciences at an early age.

Finally, despite the program’s growth over the last several years, its focus remained in the southern portion of the state due to limited capacity for expansion. However, through a new partnership with Sysco Corporation (the world’s largest food distributor), shell recycling will be coming to a restaurant near you! Sysco, using its vast network of restaurants throughout the state, will collect shell on behalf of the Shell Recycling Program. Partnering restaurants will receive green, co-branded NJDEP Fish & Wildlife and Sysco collection buckets that will be filled with shell and swapped regularly by Sysco drivers. Sysco’s Buckhead Meat & Seafood processing facility in Lakewood, New Jersey will serve as the hub for collection efforts. From there, the shell will be transported to the Nacote Creek Research Station, where it will be used to enhance local oyster reefs. This partnership allows shell recycling to grow statewide, keeps waste out of landfills, saves restaurants money, and allows for significant expansion in the Marine Resources Administration’s oyster reef enhancement efforts within the Mullica River oyster reefs and beyond.

As we venture into 2026, Marine Resources staff continue to look for opportunities to expand shell recycling in New Jersey and are eager to see the results from this past year’s efforts. For the most up-to-date information on public drop-off locations/hours, current partnering restaurants, or an application to begin recycling shell at your restaurant, please scan the QR code below or contact us.

QR code linking to information about a shell recycling program supporting oyster restoration and coastal habitat conservation. — Scan the QR code to learn more about shell recycling programs that help support oyster reef restoration and healthy coastal ecosystems.

Project S.H.E.L.L students use calipers to measure Eastern oysters gaining valuable experience in sample processing and fisheries management.

Students and educators examine oyster shells and marine specimens during a hands-on coastal education and shellfish outreach program. — Students participate in a marine education program focused on oysters, shell recycling, and coastal conservation through hands-on learning activities.