Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino joined with Town officials to showcase the thousands of oyster shells which were collected during the weekend of the Oyster Festival, which will be recycled through the Town’s Shell Recycling Program. The shells, amounting to roughly four tons, were transported by Town aqua culturists to a curing facility, where they remain for several months prior to being strategically returned to the harbor to assist in the growth of new shellfish.

“You can’t have the Oyster Festival without oysters, and thousands of residents enjoyed this delicacy during the weekend’s festivities. Thanks to the Town’s Shell Recycling Program, we can make sure the shells will not go to waste and be recycled back into our waters.”

The Supervisor explained that shells provide an excellent source of habitat for young shellfish to grow and mature, offering protection from weather conditions and predators.

“It’s amazing what can happen if we just let Mother Nature take its course – which just a little help from us,” Supervisor Saladino said. “These shells offer great protection from weather conditions, and also help defend growing shellfish from predators. They are essential to our waterways and local marine environment, as they filter water through their feeding mechanisms.”

As just one single shellfish can filter up to 50 gallons of seater per day, environmental initiatives such as this new recycling program have remained a priority for the Town Board.

“We appreciate everyone in the community and the food vendors who have helped collect shellfish as part of this wonderful program,” said Councilwoman Johnson. “This initiative helps us restore the populations in our harbor while improving water quality. It also assists local restaurants toward achieving compliance requirements with state regulations on food donation and recycling, as well as reducing waste carting expenses.”

Any restaurant owner interested in partnering with the Town on the Shell Recycling Program can visit the Town’s website for more information, at www.oysterbaytown.com/shellrecycling.