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Description
The SHELLTER project aims to contribute to the sustainable blue bioeconomy by reducing pollution caused by aquaculture waste or invasive species in the environment, through the use of oyster shell in composites, boosting the development of new solutions with local materials, increasing the chain value and reducing the carbon footprint.
The Portuguese government stresses the need to seek sustainable solutions for aquaculture waste, as well as the search for new products in the circular economy. In Norway, the shellfish industry utilizes approximately 62% of their side-streams already. However
Summary of the results
The SHELLTER project, a bilateral initiative between Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) and Nofima, ran from September 2022 to August 2024, funded by EEA Grants. Led by Prof. Inês Flores-Colen (IST) and Runar Gjerp Solstad (Nofima), the project aimed to valorize oyster shell waste from aquaculture and invasive species as sustainable construction materials.
Key activities included: (i) field research and data collection in Portugal and Norway, including surveys and visits to shellfish farms; (ii) technical testing of oyster shells as partial replacements for lime and sand in mortars, comparing Portuguese and Norwegian shells; (iii) life cycle environmental and economic impact assessment of oyster shell reuse under 15 scenarios; (iv) development of an open-access database gathering stakeholder input and a roadmap outlining challenges and strategies for oyster shell application in construction; and (v) extensive communication through conferences, workshops, publications, and supervision of ongoing academic theses.
The project successfully advanced sustainable reuse of aquaculture waste, strengthening bilateral collaboration and contributing to the blue economy. The SHELLTER team thanks EEA Grants for the support to address this innovative challenge.