Addressing environmental pollution and calcium chloride import dependency through low-cost shell recycling

Shellpia is an upcycling company that uses shell waste to make calcium chloride and snow melts. South Korea is the world’s second-largest oyster farming country, generating more than 300,000 tons of oyster shell waste annually. The problem is that large amounts of oyster waste are dumped illegally, destroying the environment. Some have tried to recycle the shells by turning them into fertilizer, but the high production costs and additional environmental pollution have not been very effective. Currently, more than 99% of the calcium chloride used domestically is imported from China, and there has always been concern that, like urea, it could be subject to supply disruptions. In fact, China’s export restrictions in 2021 caused calcium chloride prices to quadruple at one point. Industry experts believe that Shellpia’s solution could also address China’s dependence on imported calcium chloride.

Shellpia chemically treats waste cardboard to liquefy it, then stirs, treats, and filters it to create a liquid snowmelt, and blows out the moisture to create a solid snowmelt. Because it utilizes waste-based raw materials, manufacturing costs are low and productivity is high. Currently, the company produces three products: oyster shell solid calcium chloride, oyster shell liquid calcium chloride (brine) and liquid eco-friendly snow melting agent, and oyster shell eco-friendly snow melting agent. In the case of solid calcium chloride, it is a product with a calcium chloride purity of 74% or more, and in the case of liquid calcium chloride, it is a product with a calcium chloride purity of 30% or more. The eco-friendly snow melts comply with environmental labeling certification EL610 and are available in 1-ton bags and 25Kg bags. In addition to their high snow removal capabilities, these flake snow melting agents can also inhibit road corrosion because they are made through ion adsorption. In fact, when tested at -12﹎ by an authorized certification organization, it was found that the initial melting performance is high, which quickly melts snow and is suitable for manufacturing wet salt adopted by the government. In addition, the amount of delamination on the concrete surface is significantly lower at 150 cycles because it does not contain chlorine ions (Cl-). Harmful elements (Pb, As, Cd, Hg, etc.) were also not detected in the water-drying content, and stability was proven. 

Increasing productivity with proven efficiency and effectiveness

Shellpia, located in the Incheon Jiangsu Special Research and Development Zone, was established in 2022 and has stably completed the development of the mass production process. In the same year, it was selected as the Tongyeong representative for the 4th NEXT LOCAL of Seoul City and as a seed company for the DB Insurance Traffic Environment Challenge. Shellpia, located in the Small and Medium Business Research and Development Special Zone in Incheon, was established in 2022 and completed the stable development of the mass production process. In the same year, it was selected as the Tongyeong representative for the 4th NEXT LOCAL of Seoul City and as a seed company for the DB Insurance Traffic Environment Challenge. The company built a factory in Hwaseong in 2023, signed a test bed agreement with the Yeongjong City-based Business Group in Incheon, and plans to secure additional funds to further expand its production facilities.