<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>With over 1.3 million sandbags distributed last week by state </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/emergencies" rel="" target="" title="emergency "><span>emergency</span></a><span> services in preparation for </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/tropical-cyclone-alfred" rel="" target="" title="Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred"><span>Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred</span></a><span>, councils and SES are now warning residents against hasty sandbag removal and irresponsible disposal as </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/national/ex-cyclone-alfred-2025-flood-emergency-south-east-queensland-northern-nsw-updates-warnings/1ce5b96f-ed35-45a0-8fba-ceb17560ae72" rel="" target="" title=" the storm continues to pass"><span>the storm continues to pass</span></a><span> through south </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="" title="Queensland"><span>Queensland</span></a><span> and northern </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-south-wales" rel="" target="" title="NSW"><span>NSW</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Byron Shire Council, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/brisbane" rel="" target="" title="Brisbane "><span>Brisbane</span></a><span> Council, and south Queensland SES units have all issued warnings online against removing sandbags too soon and irresponsible sandbag disposal as flooding from excess rainfall continues to impact parts of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/brisbane" rel="" target="" title="Brisbane"><span>Brisbane</span></a><span> and the Gold Coast, as well as the Northern Rivers, North-western slopes and planes, Northern Tablelands, and parts of the Mid North Coast of NSW.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ex-cyclone-alfred-2025-flood-emergency-south-east-queensland-northern-nsw-updates-warnings/1ce5b96f-ed35-45a0-8fba-ceb17560ae72" rel="" target="" title="Cyclone Alfred live updates"><strong><span>Cyclone Alfred live updates</span></strong></a></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>When is it safe to remove sandbags? </span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"People are advised to hold onto to their sandbags, if they are not damaged, for a couple more weeks in case there is another weather event, as the catchment is now very wet and the dunes are eroded," said Byron Shire Council.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Residents in affected areas are also being urged by emergency services to check local weather warnings on </span><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.localgovernment.qld.gov.au%2Ffor-the-community%2Flocal-government-directory%2Fsearch-the-local-government-directory%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0B1QfNalhlejwQaP9UJs25kAfoN6mCkgpuXI9BHUmc6ioTdSdIiE92aBY_aem_Z8ga2d1hzuHhVrppv6jkcQ&amp;h=AT20a-9d8upZ4jKPSFEfzN8wzTbTapNjF-ieh4hc4QXaCe9byO-28Ocu_2opEMYXVuihI0jNWYuz_waJE2ZboEaNoHlQ_psk4yy6WDff_lfV73PUIScPeFuR8vyaQJ9f1jWE&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1Z9TJcuJ3U2McFVs9KI5LdN9sUpAWEuCxtU-jDbknLzZ27cb4_x9pj863C_W0CQ9GmTImEC2yXtVmgyLs0uXiZL0sZLErIH-htDo_WS2CUhh-4te-ZRXgoDlaZuGDsLPWRtLvX4-PQL2d0qslmiAk-5cbL8UEzjxc2b-o0exJUHLxANnOmaFwp5QcDfqb1-cgg8lOnRvoGFHRblAwXCdem_vE" rel="" target="" title="council"><span>council</span></a><span> and </span><a href="http://www.qra.qld.gov.au/.../disaster-dashboards-queensland" rel="" target="" title="SES"><span>SES</span></a><span> dashboards for potential flash flooding and storm surge flooding before removing and disposing of sandbags.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Over a million sandbags were distributed to southeast Queensland communities by Friday, March 8 in preparation for flooding by SES and police, combined with over 300,000 sandbags provided to Lismore and Northern Rivers areas.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/when-is-it-safe-to-remove-sandbags-after-extropical-cyclone-alfred-explainer/13ac5305-0e01-4c89-8e56-625bce2aa7de" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ex-cyclone-alfred-queensland-missing-man-caleb-logan-reserve/22db2596-2722-450e-9c20-87015ecc91c9"><strong><span>Search underway for missing teen amid Queensland flood emergency</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2025/03/04/14/44/tropical-cyclone-alfred-update-photos"><img alt="" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/m_8nFPjvOD5GxsTOG8dI7AwUXnI=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F9a3b9cfd-b092-448d-bf82-f0c49b5a7eaa" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/m_8nFPjvOD5GxsTOG8dI7AwUXnI=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F9a3b9cfd-b092-448d-bf82-f0c49b5a7eaa 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/H69vBrcB5CVsyLZz-bJnv_zOPF8=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F9a3b9cfd-b092-448d-bf82-f0c49b5a7eaa 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">Suburban streets transformed into rivers as Alfred inundates towns</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2025/03/04/14/44/tropical-cyclone-alfred-update-photos">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>How do you safely dispose of sandbags? </span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Safely disposing of over a million sandbags poses a health and safety risk; cyclone or flood events can lead to sandbags being contaminated with sewage or chemicals toxic to humans, said state emergency services.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Contaminated sandbags can also adversely affect local wildlife if they're incorrectly disposed of, according to Byron Shire Council's Coastal and Biodiversity Coordinator Chloe Dowsett.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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," said Dowsett.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tropical-cyclone-alfred-update-intense-rainfall-across-south-east-queensland-northern-nsw/32313cd1-fc08-440e-ab16-f30e85f48883" rel="" target="" title="'It's crazy': Roof ripped off as Queensland man sleeps"><strong><span>'It's crazy': Roof ripped off as Queensland man sleeps</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Residents of cyclone and flood-impacted areas are advised to check council guidelines for sandbag disposal and collection points, wear gloves and wash their hands when handling sandbags to protect themselves from potentially harmful contaminants, and seal sandbags in plastic before taking them to a designated waste facility.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If the sandbags stayed clean and dry, then they can be saved for future use.</span></div></div>