about our recycling program
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We recycle the shells from
73
New York restaurants that would otherwise be discarded. Every shell drives restoration.
These shells are necessary for us to do the restoration work we do every year.
explore all restaurants
Browse our full directory of 70+ NYC partner restaurants
nominate a restaurant
Know a spot that should be part of the network? Let us know.
shell dropoff locations
Find a public, 24/7 oyster shell dropoff site near you
how shell recycling works
See the journey from dinner plate to living reef
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it works
how it works
how
01
Shells are collected instead of discarded
Every day, oysters are served in restaurants and enjoyed at home across New York City. What would usually be thrown away becomes the starting point for restoration. Used shells are dropped into Billion Oyster Project recycling bins at 80+ participating restaurant partners, picked up by truck, and brought to our shell transfer station at Fulton Fish Market Co-op.
02
Shells cure on governors island
Once a month, shells are moved to our curing site on Governors Island. There, they're cleaned, processed, and left in the open air for months —removing bacteria and organic material, making them safe and stable for use in the harbor.
03
Volunteers help prepare shells for reuse
Students, corporate teams, and community members help clean shells and prepare materials for the next stage of the process. More than 16,000 volunteers have supported this work to date, turning yesterday's dinner into tomorrow's reef.
04
Shells are built into reef structures and seeded with oyster larvae
Using cured shell and engineered concrete, we fabricate reef structures designed to mimic the complexity of natural oyster reefs. These structures are then seeded with oyster larvae at our facility on Governors Island, where the larvae settle onto the shell and become spat — juvenile oysters beginning the formation of a new reef.
05
Reefs are deployed across new york harbor
Spat-on-shell oysters and reef structures are placed at active restoration sites across the harbor. Once in the water, they become habitat — supporting oyster growth, attracting marine life, and contributing to a harbor-wide system designed to move toward self-sustaining oyster populations.
restaurant spotlight
Every month we shine a spotlight on one of our restaurants. Explore to learn more about the people supporting our mission.
For inquiries
kchaudhuri@billionoysterproject.org
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Lower Manhattan
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Watermark Bar
in-membership
Drift In
Casa Cipriani
Village
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happy-hour
Mace Cocktail Bar
Chelsea / Flatiron
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Thomas Preti
Sagaponack
Pier 57 Mothershuckers
Midtown
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Upper Manhattan
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Brooklyn
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Yacht Club
Brooklyn Oyster Party
