What to do with beach sand on your property according to Helene?

Pinellas County officials are urging residents to return “clean sand” to the beach. Here's what that means.

TAMPA, Fla. — If you have beach sand on your property after Hurricane Helene, local officials urge you to put it back — and do so responsibly.

“Many barrier island residents and businesses had unprecedented amounts of beach sand deposited on their properties during Hurricane Helene,” Pinellas County officials said in a statement.

Officials are urging residents to return “clean sand” to the beach above the high tide line. This means sand that has no stains, odors or debris.

“You may not place it over dune plants, turtle nests, storm debris or structures,” officials said.

RELATED: County by county: Debris cleanup in Tampa Bay after Hurricane Helene

If the sand doesn't meet those criteria, it could still be returned to the beach, but only with permission from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. FDEP can be reached at 840-245-204 or [email protected].

The same accommodation restrictions apply even after the permit is granted, and officials said failure to follow those rules could result in civil penalties.

Pinellas County officials also shared these restrictions:

Don't throw sand in your trash.
Do not spread sand on the road or push it onto the road.
Do not attempt to clear public roads.

The Pinellas County Public Works Department is working to obtain approval from the FDEP to screen clean sand to remove debris and return it to the beach.

RELATED: Some parks and government services set to reopen in Pinellas County after Hurricane Helene