{"id":381525,"date":"2026-06-04T07:00:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenvillejournal.com\/?p=381525"},"modified":"2026-06-04T12:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T16:05:10","slug":"rewa-oyster-recycling-program-plays-important-role-in-coastal-conservation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenvillejournal.com\/news\/rewa-oyster-recycling-program-plays-important-role-in-coastal-conservation\/","title":{"rendered":"ReWa oyster recycling program plays important role in coastal conservation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oyster roasts are a hallowed South Carolina tradition, particularly along the coast. But many who grew up with the tradition often don\u2019t realize the leavings of such a gathering are more than trash \u2013 the shells are a vital natural resource used to replenish oyster reefs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing the importance of discarded oyster shells is one of the reasons Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) established its <\/span>oyster shell recycling program<\/span><\/a> in 2017. By building community support and key partnerships with restaurants, ReWa has contributed about 430,000 pounds to the state Department of Natural Resources oyster shell recycling and planting program.<\/span><\/p>\n

Building a virtuous cycle<\/b><\/h2>\n

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In a very real sense, oysters perform a similar function to ReWa in filtering water and improving water quality. The animals inside oyster shells pull the nutrients they need to survive from the water surrounding them. At the individual level, the effect is tiny but multiplied by the hundreds and thousands of oysters that make up an oyster reef and the impact on water quality and the health of the surrounding ecosystem is profound.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of parallels,\u201d Denison said. \u201c(Oysters are) improving water quality, filtering up to 50 gallons a day from a single adult oyster once they\u2019re mature.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To many people, they\u2019re also delicious.<\/span><\/p>\n

Capitalizing on that fact was one of the reasons the Table 301 restaurant group opened <\/span>The Jones Oyster Co.<\/span><\/a> in late 2022. According to Steve Seitz, Table 301 vice president and chief operating officer, the restaurant and staff were committed from the start to recycling the thousands of discarded shells the restaurant generates every week.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that would have been extremely hard, if not impossible, without ReWa\u2019s shell recycling collection site near the intersection of Mauldin and Wenwood roads.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI drive my pickup truck to the drop station up to three times a week on average,\u201d Seitz said. \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t available, I don\u2019t know how we\u2019d do it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Those three trips each week represent on average about 10,000-12,000 shells. The volume was so significant that ReWa had to significantly expand its drop-off site as soon as The Jones Oyster Co. started adding its shells to the program.<\/span><\/p>\n

From the mountains to the sea<\/h2>\n

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Part of her job is educating the public about the critical importance of oyster shell recycling. Oysters need oyster shell to replenish themselves, Sommers said, and a healthy oyster reef is typically home to more than 120 species of fish and other marine animals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite having one of the best shell recycling programs in the country, SCDNR has to purchase shells from shucking houses each year to accomplish its task of maintaining and replenishing oyster reefs all along South Carolina\u2019s coast, Sommers said.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s expensive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c(That\u2019s why) it\u2019s so important that we work with whoever we can throughout the state to recycle as much shell as possible,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

But beyond collecting recycled oyster shells, ReWa staff and volunteers transport the shells to the coast and participate in reef builds. According to Denison, seeing how the shells are returned to the sea to sustain and bolster marine ecosystems underscores the interconnectedness of the entire water cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust from working in the water industry, you learn pretty quickly how connected all of your actions and your network really can be,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

She added that every reef build has been rewarding and that each time she and the other volunteers learn something new. They also enjoy meeting other volunteers from all over the Palmetto State.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are always fascinated to learn where the shells are coming from, that even up in Greenville we\u2019re still recycling the shells,\u201d Denison said. \u201cThey love to hear about the efforts we\u2019re doing, so it\u2019s a good community-building experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The S.C. Department of Natural Resources\u2019 oyster shell recycling and reef building program is funded through sale of saltwater recreational fishing licenses.<\/span><\/p>\n

ReWa shell recycling, by the numbers<\/b><\/p>\n