MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County is installing trash bag dispensers throughout its parks and beaches to keep trash out of the environment.

Katherine Hillabrand is a supporter of the measure. She visits Coquina Beach once a week with her granddaughter, Izabella.

The two enjoy finding seashells.

“It reminds me of my childhood, when I used to come out here as a young teen and in high school," she said. "There are a lot of fond memories, and we make more memories as I come out here with my grandkids now."

But in 2019, Hillabrand realized their favorite activity was being impacted by trash.

“These small things can harm our wildlife. The sea turtles mistake them for food. The birds mistake it for food. And that has a big impact on our ecosystem and our wildlife,” she said.

Incidents like that are what Manatee County hopes to reduce. They have partnered with “Be a Better Human Project,” an eco-friendly company.

The initiative will install trash bag dispensers at county beaches and parks. The two-gallon bags being used are biodegradable. The county says seven dispensers are already in operation, including one at a Lakewood Ranch park.

David Charmer is the parks and grounds operations manager for Manatee County and says it is a great investment for the county.

“It’s a great program for Manatee County to start saving the environment, keeping trash from, you know, getting in the water, getting in the mangroves, out of the beaches,” he said.

After their beach day, Katherine and Izabella clean up their trash.

“It’s very convenient. I really like this idea because it keeps things contained. It’s just simple, and you can fit quite a bit in it,” she said.

A dispenser at Coquina Beach was installed in June. Hillabrand believes it will make a difference.

“They see the bags, maybe put two and two together, take it with you, and remember to drop it off when you leave. Even if you just put it in the bag, it’s better than leaving it scattered on the beach,’ she said.

She hopes everyone will do their part to preserve the environment so her family can continue enjoying the beach life.

The county says they will measure the success of this new program by how many of the bags are in the trash cans and how empty the dispensers are.

The seven dispensers cost the county just $1,500 from the parks and recs operations budget.