Oyster shell recycling program marks 10-year milestone

What started as an ambitious shell recycling pilot in 2015 has officially hit a major milestone: The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays’ Don’t Chuck Your Shucks program is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an astounding 3,015,587 pounds of oyster shells collected and returned to the bays.

Over the last decade, with the support of dozens of dedicated restaurant partners and shellfish-loving diners, the center has kept oyster shells out of landfills and put them to work restoring vital estuarine habitats.

Jack Gazda, a shellfish project specialist, has spent the last two-and-a-half years hauling shells for the program. After a career managing service industries and being “strapped to corporate communications devices 24/7,” he said he was ready for something different.

“This role is just a small aspect of the center’s mission, but I was thrilled when I found it,” said Gazda. “Where else can you work without management breathing over your shoulder, listen to classic rock while driving along the bays, take in the view from the inlet bridge, and know you’re helping protect this incredible place for our children and grandchildren?”

Since its launch, Don’t Chuck Your Shucks has grown from a handful of restaurants participating to an extensive network of partners who collect discarded oyster and clam shells, which are then cured and reused for habitat restoration projects across the Inland Bays watershed.

Oyster shell is a critical material for rebuilding reefs, protecting shorelines and providing habitat for young oysters, fish and crabs. More oysters mean more natural filtration in the bays, working around the clock to improve water quality.

The impact is measurable. The center has collected more than 3 million pounds of shells that otherwise would have gone to landfills. Countless volunteers have bagged cured shells for habitat restoration projects, and in 2024, that material was used to build the largest oyster reef in Inland Bays history.

The success of Don’t Chuck Your Shucks wouldn’t be possible without the commitment of partner restaurants and the patrons who enjoy fresh, local seafood.

To learn more, go to inlandbays.org.