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A new project from Seafish will look at the potential of using waste from shellfish processing as building materials. Shell waste constitutes a major financial and operational burden on the shellfish processing industry and has been identified as a limitation to the development of the sector in some regions. Although there are, in theory, many uses for shell, there is little infrastructure to deal with shell waste across the UK. Where the infrastructure exists, it tends to be disjointed or only works on a localized level and seafood processors are often unaware of the potential opportunities. Most processors rely on disposal outlets which can cost up to £150 per tonne of waste making it very costly. However, with markets already established in the UK using imported shell for use in aggregates, the new project, funded by the Seafish Industry Project Fund, will investigate the potential for the UK shellfish industry. Michaela Archer of Seafish said: “As product quality and quantity dictates market opportunities, appropriate uses will be established on a case by case basis. This project aims to integrate technical and market considerations to enable users to optimise their returns through a range of different applications.” Aggregate applications range from low value, bulk products, requiring little development for market entry, up to added value, niche products that require greater product development and placement. Bulk applications include loose aggregate shell for pathways and mulching. Added-value products include coated aggregates, permeable resin pathways, ornamental formed blocks and specialist rendering. There are, however, many issues to overcome, including cost-effectiveness, identifying the outlets for the different uses of shell waste, the efficacy of shell cleaning methods and providing the right quality of shell for the identified markets. This project will evaluate these issues in order to provide information for both the seafood and aggregate sectors, to raise awareness of the potential and facilitate the use of UK sourced shell for such applications. more news articles...
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