Where do used sandbags go and what to do with them after flooding ends
UPDATED: APRIL 19, 2023 AT 9:09 PM
Sandbags are set on the road during ongoing flood mitigation efforts at Emigration Creek in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Ryan Sun/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE COUNTY— What happens to the tens of thousands of sandbags used to prevent flooding this spring?
The answer depends on if the bags came into contact with flood waters or not.
Flood waters are often infected with hazardous germs, bacteria, and waste. Therefore, the sandbags that come into contact with flood water are likely to become contaminated.
The Utah Department of Public Safety has a handout containing information on how to dispose of used and unused sandbags.
How to dispose of contaminated sandbags
By blocking flood water flow, the bags and the sand can become contaminated with harmful pathogens that can be dangerous to you and your neighbors. In disposing of contaminated sandbags:
DO:
Check with local waste management agencies for possible disposal sites
Take extra caution transporting the bags
Communicate with waste management to communicate and ensure proper handling
DO NOT:
Reuse contaminated sandbags in ways that involve human contact. Such as sand boxes, playgrounds, or gardens
Dump sandbags in creeks, rivers, canals, ditches, roadway gutters, or storm drain inlets
Leave sandbags sitting in the sun for extended periods of time, unless there is an active flood threat
Place sandbags where they would block floodways or floodplains
How to dispose of uncontaminated sandbags
If sandbags have been kept dry or have only been in contact with precipitation, they are normally not contaminated and can be disposed of differently. Here are options for disposing of uncontaminated sandbags from the Utah Department of Public Safety and How To Dispose of Sandbags:
DO:
Reuse sandbags in areas like flower beds, snow and ice control, or as base for paving blocks
Store sandbags in an area protected from natural elements such as wind or rain
Donate them to other flood prevention organizations
DO NOT:
Store sandbags in perpetually wet areas
Store sandbags for more than 8 months to a year
Use the sand to fill sandboxes
Store sandbags that have holes or tears in the fabric