For those looking for where to bring sandbags after Hurricane Ian, county officials with Pinellas and Pasco are advising residents to take the following measures.
Pinellas County
Officials with Pinellas County provided the recommendations below on what to do with sandbags after Hurricane Ian:
Pinellas County encourages residents and businesses to reuse clean sandbags or dispose of contaminated sandbags.
Sandbags that did not come into contact with floodwaters can be safely reused or stored.
For sandbags that did not come into contact with floodwaters:
- Keep and store clean sandbags for preparation for future events. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, with most storms occurring between mid-August and late October.
- Spread sand on lawns or landscape beds. Place the empty bags in your garbage bin (do not place the bags in your recycling bin).
- Pinellas County Environmental Management advises residents to not dump their sandbags onto the beach. Sand used to help stop flooding may be different from beach sand and can cause issues for turtle nesting, among other problems.
Sandbags that have come in contact with flood water can become contaminated with bacteria.
For sandbags that have come into contact with floodwaters:
- Bring used sandbags, separated from other waste to the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex, 3095 114th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Disposal fees apply.
Please do not dispose of any sand or full sandbags in your regular trash. The sand does not burn and will not convert to energy in the county’s Waste-to-Energy Facility. Furthermore, do not mix sandbags with yard debris.
The sand is abrasive and damages equipment used to grind yard debris into mulch.
Pasco County
Pasco County officials offered the following information for sandbag disposal:
Two sandbag disposal sites are open 24/7 to properly dispose of used sandbags:
Magnolia Valley Golf Course, 7223 Massachusetts Ave, New Port Richey
Pasco Public Works C-Barn, 30908 Warder Rd, San Antonio
