Turning Shell Waste into Sea Life
The problem
Marine biodiversity is rapidly declining due to human activity e.g habitat destruction, global warming, overfishing and pollution. One way to combat biodiversity loss is using artificial reefs to replace lost natural habitat. Currently, the most common material used to make artificial reefs is concrete. However, concrete production releases immense quantities of CO₂ into the atmosphere due to the extreme temperatures at which cement must be heated. This directly contributes to global warming and ocean acidification, two of the biggest threats to marine life. In addition, concrete uses non-renewable resources, such as sand, which is mined from other ecosystems, damaging those ecosystems in the process.
Our solution
We have developed a bioconcrete from waste sea shells from local fisheries and natural marine binders. Unlike conventional concrete, our bioconcrete doesn’t require extreme temperatures or the use of non-renewable aggregates mined from other ecosystems. This means our bioconcrete production should have significantly lower CO₂ emissions.
What we do
We design and 3D print bespoke artificial reefs. Currently, we are testing our designs in clay, which has lower CO₂ emissions than concrete, while our bioconcrete is still under development. Each artificial reef is carefully designed with specific species and ecosystems in mind to maximise biodiversity. To assess the effect of our reefs on marine biodiversity, we use various monitoring techniques that allow us to provide our clients with quantitative data, e.g. AI species recognition from underwater video footage.
We actively volunteer with marine conservation groups and are seeking partnerships that can help us make a difference in our seas.
Friends of ReefCircular include:
