Oyster Shell Recycling…Who Is In The Lead?
A few weeks ago we told you how excited we are to participate in the Oyster Shell Recycling Program. We have been tallying the results and the top three restaurants have been doing a great job! Arnold’s in Eastham, MA is leading the pack but there are plenty of shucking days left!
If your favorite restaurant or raw bar isn’t featured on this chart, ask them what they do with their shells? This is a simple way to take part in a process that is proven to help improve the quality of our ocean water.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about oysters:
- A single oyster shell can filter 30 gallons of water per day
- An oyster reef can shelter up to 100 other species such as shrimp and lobster
- Oyster shells contain calcium carbonate which is a known buffer that helps to offset ocean acidification
- Oysters contain a whole variety of Vitamins, including C, D, B1, B2 and B3. In terms of valuable minerals, if you eat just four medium-size oysters every day, you’ll get the recommended daily allowances of calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.
- Oyster reefs stabilize ocean shorelines, making them less susceptible to damage by hurricanes and strong storms.
- An oyster produces a pearl when foreign material becomes trapped inside the shell. The oyster responds to the irritation by producing a combination of calcium and protein. It coats the foreign material and over time forms a pearl. Only 1 in about 10,000 wild oysters will produce a pearl.
Get out there and get shucking Cape Cod!
For details on the recycling program, or to request any of our products and services,
please call the office at:
508-349-7969