In Elastec’s ongoing mission to manufacture the best products for oil, debris, trash, and Sargassum seaweed control, we installed 1,700 ft. of Beach Bouncer XT in Belize at the end of November to protect three resorts and a condominium complex. The Beach Bouncer XT is a heavy-duty floating barrier with a 60,000 lb. break strength and can survive difficult wind and wave conditions. The boom is built using 20 ft. x 24 inch HDPE foam-filled flotation logs with our signature Beach Bouncer 3 ft. depth skirt. It was specially designed to keep seaweed and other types of floating debris off beaches and at sea.
While small amounts of seaweed growth have been a part of the natural cycle in the world’s oceans for thousands of years, the amounts have been surging since 2011. Beaches from Florida to Mexico have experienced increases in Sargassum washing up rotting, causing bad smells and affecting tourism. Usually, the Sargassum seaweed problem would last for about three weeks a year. The problem is now occurring for several months each year making management efforts difficult.
The Sargassum problem has been linked to warmer waters in conjunction with fertilizer run-off flowing into the Amazon River and then out into the ocean. Resorts have been turning to a variety of methods to help keep their beaches clean. The ELASTEC Beach Bouncer and new Beach Bouncer XT have been proven to be effective in deflecting seaweed and saving resorts time and manpower in their cleanup efforts.
