The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority is a participant in the Virginia Oyster Shell Recycling and Restoration Program, which takes shells destined for the trash and returns them to restoration areas in the Piankatank River in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, where the wild Eastern Oyster population fall to just 1 to 2 percent of its historic peak.
The program collects shells from restaurants and public drop-off locations in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Northern Virginia and on the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck.
Since 2013, the program, which collects nearly 125,000 pounds of shells annually, has facilitated the collection of waste oyster shells and returned them to the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay to help restore wild oyster populations, improve water quality and provide new fish habitat.
The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority has participated in the program since 2019.
The recycled shells help rebuild oyster reefs, creating essential habitats for blue crabs, striped bass, and red drum, while also helping reduce storm-driven shoreline erosion.
Oysters serve as efficient natural filters, capable of cleaning up to 50 gallons of water per day by filtering out sediment and plankton.
Residents and restaurants can drop off saved oyster shells at the McIntire Recycling Center, 611 McIntire Road, Charlottesville.
Contact RSWA at [email protected] to find out how to join this program at no cost.
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Chris Graham
