Sandbags – what to do with them in the Byron Shire.

People are advised to hold onto their sandbags, if they are not damaged, for a couple of more weeks in case there is another weather event, as the catchment is now very wet, and the dunes are eroded.

Chloe Dowsett, Council’s Coastal and Biodiversity Coordinator said that people should not empty their sand or place sandbags onto the beach. 

“We are getting a lot of enquiries from people asking whether they should put the sand on the beach given the erosion over the last week and the answer to that is no,” Ms Dowsett said.

“Sand can be dirty and contaminated from flood or stormwater with weeds, pests and even chemicals posing an environmental risk for marine life and the birds and insects that live in the dunes and on our beaches,” Ms Dowsett said.

“While it’s likely most sand for bags has come from quarries and is clean, we don’t know for sure so the best thing to do is to not inadvertently contaminate our already depleted beaches.

“Even Council needs to make sure we have proper assessments in place when we put any material on the beach that could pose a risk to the environment and marine park,” she said.

We are aware that people are concerned about the dune erosion and want to help, but the best way is to let the beaches stabilise first and we will consider any management or interventions after the event.

In the meantime, Council is suggesting people hang on to their sandbags for a little while and as information becomes available about how to dispose of them properly Council will promote this to the community.