Oyster farming represents one of the most developed aquaculture
activities, producing delicacies unfortunately related to a direct
accumulation of waste shells. Facing what is becoming an environmental
issue, chemists are currently developing solutions to add value to
this wild source of raw material in line with the principles of sustainable
chemistry. An argumentative overview of this question is proposed
here with a focus on recent data. Starting with a presentation of
the environmental impact of oyster farming, existing and promising
applications are then classified according to the type of raw materials
derived from the oyster shell, namely the natural oyster shell (NOS),
the calcined natural oyster shell (CNOS), and biomolecules of the
organic matrix extracted from the oyster shell. Their relevance is
discussed in regard to their scalability, originality, and sustainability.
This review constitutes the first critical compilation on oyster shell
applications, with the aim to provide essential elements to better
comprehend the recycling of waste oyster shells.