Oyster Bag Waste Management
Studies and trials have been carried out on managing waste aquaculture gear, determining the feasibility of disposal of end of life gear through recycling and other systems in comparison to other disposal strategies such as landfill.
Objectives: An initial project looking at oyster bag waste management was carried out in 2019. This project evaluated viable options for the recycling and reuse of end-of- life oyster bags. Results and outcomes to this project can be found on the BIM website – link list below. With the introduction of a national EPR scheme in 2025 for managing old aquaculture and fishing gear, further studies and trials have been carried out since 2023 on managing waste aquaculture gear, determining the feasibility of disposal of end of life gear through recycling and other systems in comparison to other disposal strategies such as landfill.
The 2023-25 Project included a pilot study investigated if products could be made in Ireland from a variety of end-of-life aquaculture gear, and outlined challenges that exist. This project is ongoing with further work being carried out in late 2025.
Infos
Location(s): Ireland
Duration: 2019, 2023 – 2025
Partner(s): Aquaculture sector, Plastic Recycling Companies and Consultants
Funding: EMFAF Funding – ongoing
Contact : info@bim.ie
Results
The bags are made from HDPE, a material known for its high recyclability. However, due to prolonged use and contamination over time, direct recycling of end- of-life oyster bags presents certain challenges.
All the above options require that the end-of-life bags are properly prepared prior to removal. This requires the removal of hooks, rubbers, seals and debris and neat storage on pallets.
The Pilot Trial was successful in using oyster bags in a blend with farm plastics to produce a post that can be used in oyster farm cultivation system.
Opportunities are ever changing depending on the cost and availability of virgin plastics and the demand for recycled plastics.
Initiatives to discover
initiative(s)
FILIPECH
The FILIPECH project has taken two main actions: the establishment of the producer responsability organisation dedicated to the management of end-of-life fishing gear, and the carrying out of new experiments in four ports to test and improve the collection and recovery of used HDPE trawls
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Gravity Wave
Gravity Wave is a social start-up based in Spain. committed to combating marine pollution through a circular economy model.
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IFF Plastics
IFF Plastics in Co. Clare, Ireland worked together with BIM to investigate if retired fishing nets from ports could be recycled into a material to create products such as fence posts.
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Repescaplas
The initiative aimed at mitigating the impact of marine litter, particularly plastic waste, through its recovery, characterisation, and valorisation into useful products.
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