What a view from South Inlet Park and the perfect spot to honor the man who came up with beach trash buckets to self-clean the sand.
Andy Abbott designed and built 25 receptacles with returnable buckets for beach patrons who frequent Palm Beach County beach parks.
His efforts merited accolades and an appreciation award from county Vice Mayor Robert Weinroth and county parks and recreation director Eric Call early Thursday. South Inlet Park is the only county run and operated park in Boca.
Abbott came up with the idea as a scuba diver and a park volunteer who saw a need not being met. He approached the county. And county aquatics director Jimmy Davis put the beach buckets in Carlin Park in Jupiter in December 2019 as a pilot program…and kept going.
The receptacles or bins hold two, four or eight buckets. They’ve had a few not returned, but so far the honor system is working, Davis said.
For his part, Abbott markets the buckets to local businesses and some have company logos. So far, the buckets are in in 14 county parks. He has placed three in Boynton Beach and continues to reach out to communities including Jupiter and Cocoa Beach through his foundation, Abbott said. Next, he plans to partner with local groups already organized around beach cleanups.
“Grab a bucket” his website implores: https://www.beachbucketfoundation.org/
By Marci Shatzman
