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Recycling Shells Actually Helps Save Restaurants Money

A look at the recycling bins used by the Galveston Bay Foundation’s restaurant partners to recycle discarded oyster shells.
A look at the recycling bins used by the Galveston Bay Foundation’s restaurant partners to recycle discarded oyster shells. Photo: Galveston Bay Foundation

After being approached by Tom Tollett, owner of Tommy’s Restaurant Oyster Bar, Leija said the foundation got to work. The program began with Tommy’s, but has grown over the years. Today, it includes 10 restaurants in the Galveston Bay area. Tollett, who helped start the program, is on the foundation’s board. The effort actually helps restaurants save on some waste management costs, and the foundation provides the recycling receptacles.

“A lot of their garbage that’s collected is based on tonnage…and so by us taking that shell off their hands, they actually save on the number of waste pickups they have to pay for,” Leija said. “They don’t have to pay for a thing, at least not yet. We hope we never have to charge a fee.”

As long as funding keeps coming in—the program is supported by federal and state funds, as well as corporate and private donations—the foundation plans on continuing to offer restaurants this service for free. To date, the program has recycled 1,072 tons of oyster shells.

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