Baek, E.Y. and Cho, S.-M., 2023. Comparison of oyster shell disposal and recycling systems between Korea and China. In: Lee, J.L.; Min, B.I.; Cho, G.T.; Yoon, J.-S.; Cho, W.C., and Lee, J. (eds.), Multidisciplinary Approaches to Coastal and Marine Management. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 116, pp. 309-313. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.
Oyster shells, mainly composed of calcium carbonate containing 12% carbon dioxide, may have the potential for carbon sequestration and could be a valuable resource for the recycling industry. Korea and China, the largest oyster producing countries, are trying to improve their oyster shell waste management systems through legislative revision and governmental involvement. There are nine applicable laws in Korea for oyster shell disposal, compared with only three laws in China. The Act on the Promotion of Recycling of Fishery Byproducts was legislated to drastically relax these regulations in Korea. Concurrently, the Ocean Discharge Management Method was preannounced in 2021 which specifies who is responsible for managing these shells in China and sets forth discharge cost criteria. Although institutional orientations in the two countries are currently different, both countries are expected to play a pivotal role in the global industrial recycling ecosystem, establishing a cooperative relationship in technical research and governmental involvement, especially in Shandong Province, China.