Review of shell waste reutilization to promote sustainable shellfish aquaculture

Shellfish aquaculture has developed rapidly, and the annual production of shell waste by-products exceeds 10 million tons. The reutilization of shell waste is a severe problem in terms of environmental protection and the development of the circular economy. Due to its limited economic value, shell waste has generally been discarded or sent to landfill without any further processing and reutilization, thereby wasting resources and severely degrading the coastal ecosystem. This review summarizes recent research into the reutilization of shell waste, including applications in the fields of agriculture, construction, environmental protection, chemical production, food additives and biomaterials. Problems and strategies related to the reutilization of shell waste are analysed in order to provide technical support for the large-scale and high value-added utilization of shell waste.

Automated summary

Shellfish aquaculture has rapidly expanded, generating over 10 million tons of shell waste annually. The reutilization of shell waste is crucial for environmental protection and promoting the circular economy. Despite its limited economic value, shell waste is often disposed of in landfills, resulting in resource wastage and coastal ecosystem degradation. Recent research has focused on various applications of shell waste in different industries to support large-scale and high value-added utilization.