Horn Point Laboratory

Oyster Recycling

You can now bring used oyster shells to a recycling station at the Oyster Restoration Partnership site at the Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge. Station hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. The drop-off location is about a half-mile down the driveway of the Horn Point Laboratory campus. Bins are located on the left. For more information, call 410-228-9250.

Why recycle oyster shells?

Natural oyster shell is the best material on which to raise new oysters and restore oyster reefs. Scientist know that now, but for generations, used oyster shells were used to build roads, driveways and housing construction. More recently the shell has ended up in landfills. Today, it is an extremely limited natural resource and a valuable one for improving waterways. Given the critical shortage of shell for use in restoring the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population, the Oyster Recovery Partnership developed the Shell Recycling Alliance to save this extremely limited natural resource.