BATON ROUGE, LA — July 18, 2019 — With more than 500,000 sandbags distributed in East Baton Rouge Parish in preparation for Hurricane Barry, many residents are questioning what to do with sandbags now that the storm has passed.

The Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security encourages citizens with sandbags on hand to keep them for other potential storms this hurricane season. “Hurricane season runs from June through November, and historically Louisiana has seen the majority of its storm activity in the late August and early September timeframe,” says Clay Rives, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. “Keeping sandbags you already have on hand for potential reuse saves resources, time and money.”

For best sandbag reuse results, MOHSEP recommends covering the sandbags with a tarp to prevent sun exposure and avoid sandbag deterioration. By covering the sandbags, they will typically last for several months.

Filled sandbags are not considered eligible storm debris and should not be placed at the curb as storm debris, nor in garbage cans. Neither Republic Services nor the City-Parish storm debris contractor will pick up filled sandbags at the curb. Sand and sandbags should never be emptied into storm drains or ditches.

The best method for disposal is for the homeowner to use the sand to fill low spots in their lawn, and empty sandbags can be put in the trashcan for pickup.

Citizens who do not wish to store the bags can also return the filled sandbags between now and August 2, 2019, to the designated drop-off location at BREC’s Memorial Stadium, located at 1702 Foss Street.

Citizens are encouraged to follow Red Stick Ready on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or download the Red Stick Ready mobile app for more information.