Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilwoman Michele Johnson invite residents looking to help the environment and preserve our waterways to take part in the Town’s shell recycling initiative at the upcoming Oyster Festival, taking place Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th in Oyster Bay.
“We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to be a vital part of our environmental mission to help protect our harbor and improve our waterways,” explained Supervisor Saladino. “As a Shell Collection Station Attendant, volunteers will contribute their time to help divert oyster and clam shells from landfills, which will instead be recycled and used for habitat restoration and growing new oysters.”
Volunteers at this year’s festival will be asked to commit to working in three-hour shifts. Available time slots will be from 10am through 7pm on both Saturday, October 19th and Sunday, October 20th. Responsibilities will include identifying oyster and clam shells, overseeing a shell collection station with separate bins for general trash and for shells, guiding festival goers in correctly sorting their waste, and answering questions about the shell recycling program and educating attendees about its environmental benefits. Those interested in participating will be asked to participate in a zoom session to become familiar with the program and will receive giveaways including a t-shirt, as well as community service hours for their participation.
“This wonderful initiative helps us restore the populations in our harbor while improving water quality,” said Councilwoman Johnson. “After the festival, the shells are 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. This great program not only helps ensure the shells don’t go to waste, they provide an excellent source of habitat for young shellfish to grow and mature, offering protection from weather conditions and predators.”
Anyone interested in volunteering for the shellfish recycling program can contact the Department of Environmental Resources at (516) 677-5943 or by emailing Environmental @oysterbay-ny.gov. For more information about the program, visit www.oysterbaytown.com/shellrecycling.