Roughly 5,000 discarded toilets have been repurposed as artificial reef structures beneath the water. The initiative, run by New York City's Department of Environmental Protection alongside the Billion Oyster Project, converted old porcelain fixtures from public schools into a foundation for oyster growth. According to the Jamaica Bay reef project, instead of ending up in landfill, the broken porcelain was combined with oyster and clam shells to create settling beds for juvenile oysters. The programme forms part of a wider effort to restore the harbour's lost reef ecosystems while also addressing coastal erosion. This piece looks at how the toilets became reef material, why oysters were chosen, the historical loss behind the project and its place within New York's broader resilience plans. Beyond recycling waste, the initiative demonstrates how innovative environmental engineering can strengthen coastal ecosystems, improve water quality, support marine biodiversity and inspire other cities to combine sustainable waste management with long-term climate resilience and habitat restoration efforts.
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