The Byron Shire Council is advising people to hold onto sandbags collected in preparation for ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, if they are not damaged.
Byron Council says it’s a good idea to keep them for a couple more weeks in case there is another weather event, as the catchment is now very wet and dunes are eroded.
Byron Shire Council Coastal and Biodiversity Coordinator Chloe Dowsett said, via a media release on Sunday, that people shouldn’t 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,’ she said.
‘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.
‘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 says more information about how to dispose of them properly will be available soon.
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