Durham, N.C. – Effective October 1, 2009, landfill disposal of oyster shells along with plastic bottles, wooden pallets and oil filters was banned throughout North Carolina.  To combat illegal dumping of oyster shells, Durham County residents will soon have four new places to dump their used shells and help the environment at the same time.

Durham County’s General Services Department and the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will create oyster shell recycling drop-off areas at all four county waste convenience centers on Wednesday, November 18, starting at 10 a.m. The first installation of a oyster shell recycling drop-off area will be at the Rougemont Convenience Center, located at the intersections of Highway 501 North and Bill Poole Road in Durham.

The drop-off centers will be the most recent additions to a growing number of spots in North Carolina where the public can help reduce the landfill waste flow and restore oyster reefs by recycling oyster shells. People can recycle other calcium-based shells, such as clams or mussels, too.

“Durham County is very appreciative of the State of North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries for partnering with our organization to comply with the recent state-wide disposal ban,” said Brian Haynesworth, waste reduction specialist for Durham County Government.  “We are very excited about our latest service offering that is easily accessible and will help reduce solid waste disposal in the County.”

Division of Marine Fisheries’ Director Louis Daniel said he is pleased that the program is beginning to receive more visibility west of Interstate 95.

When oysters spawn, the larvae need a hard substrate on which to attach and grow, and oysters prefer to attach to shell material, Daniel said.

“It is our collective responsibility as a state to collect these shells and ensure that they are placed back into coastal waters to provide a place for baby oysters to attach and grow,” Daniel said.

Sabrina Varnam, the state agency’s Oyster Shell Recycling coordinator, said the goal is to continue to expand oyster shell recycling sites across the state.

“Local government support is imperative to meet this goal,” Varnam said.

Oysters are not just a food source for humans, birds and fish. They clean pollutants from the water. Oyster reefs also provide habitat for baby fish and other marine life.

The Oyster Shell Recycling Program started in the fall of 2003 to establish public places where people could donate their shells. The program has grown from collecting 711 bushels of oyster shells in 2003 to more than 32,000 bushels in 2007 and 23,600 in 2008. More than 86,700 bushels have been collected since the program’s inception.

For more information about the Oyster Shell Recycling Program, contact Varnam at 252-808-8056 or Sabrina.Varnam@ncdenr.gov or visit http://www.ncdmf.net/shellfish/recycle1.htm.  For information on Durham County Convenience Centers, contact Rhonda Carter, litter control officer and recycling specialist, at 919-560-0430 or via e-mail at rcarter@durhamcountync.gov.