PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — While more than 50,000 cubic yards of sand have already been pulled from neighborhoods and streets across Pinellas County’s barrier islands, the work has just begun for crews working to clean the sand and put it back on the beach.  

According to Jason Beisel with the city of Treasure Island, crews tasked with cleaning sand and replenishing the beaches arrived in the area Wednesday evening.

What You Need To Know

  • Contractors who will clean, replace sand arrived Wednesday evening 

  • Equipment getting into place in Sunset Beach area

  • Volunteer organizations are cleaning debris from beaches to prepare for sand replacement 

  • Cleanup happening Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Check in at the SW corner of city hall

  • RELATED STORY: What to do with all that sand Helene moved into the Pinellas streets

“They’re evaluating how much sand is around,” he said. “They’ll collect up that sand and then they’ll begin the cleaning process.”

Beisel says the contractors working on the sand are experienced in this process and will be shifting through it to remove debris before it is placed back on the beach.

“These contractors have done this many times and they’re working with DEP and the state,” he said. "What they’ll do is most likely not use the bottom of the sand pile, because that’s the sand that has touched the ground and is contaminated. They will mostly use the top and middle of the sand, because that will be the cleaner sand.”

Beisel says that’s why it’s important that people don’t put anything on top of existing sand piles, because that will contaminate the sand even more.

Before any work can begin to place sand back on the beaches, they must be clean from storm debris. The city has partnered with Treasure Island Adopt-a-Beach and Keep Pinellas County Beautiful so volunteers can assist in debris removal.

A volunteer cleanup is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Participants are asked to check in at the SW corner of City Hall.

Organizers ask if you have buckets, pickers and gloves to please bring them. Close toed shoes or boots are preferred.

Pinellas County is advising residents who have clean sand on their property to return it to the beach above the high tide line. The sand must be free of stains, odors or debris in order to be returned to the beach.

If you have contaminated sand on your property you’re asked to contact the Florida Department of Environmental Protection at 840-245-2094 or CCCL@FloridaDEP.gov.