Where to discard oyster shells on Isle of Palms

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD) – ‘Tis the season for oyster roasts, but what do you do with the empty shells?

An Isle of Palms restaurant is teaming up with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) to provide oyster shell recycling on the island.

According to the city, a recycling trailer will be available at Islander 71, near the Isle of Palms Marina, for the duration of oyster roasting season (through March 2024).

Discarded oyster shells can be used to help the local environment such as providing habitat, controlling erosion, and filtering waterways.

SCDNR says adult oysters filter up to 2.5 gallons of water per hour, improving water quality in the process. And oysters build reefs, which can provide new homes for fish, shrimp, crabs, and other sea life.

Those oyster reefs serve as natural barriers which help protect the shoreline.

South Carolina’s oyster season opens Oct. 1 and runs through May 15, unless conditions warrant extending or shortening the season.