A group of springbreakers attending the annual Boca Bash in Florida has been caught on video dumping large amounts of trash directly into the ocean. The incident, which occurred as approximately 10,000 young people descended on Lake Boca Raton for a day of wild partying and excessive drinking, saw drunken partiers on a boat throwing two full bins of garbage into the water.
Florida locals infuriated as spring breakers caught dumping overfilled trash cans into the ocean https://t.co/0kIFYOkUhD pic.twitter.com/hWXUApnWNu
— New York Post (@nypost) April 30, 2024
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has reiterated that disposal of garbage from boats is prohibited in lakes, rivers, bays, sounds and offshore areas within three miles of the ocean. The illegal dumping has sparked outrage among local residents and boaters.
Deerfield Beach resident and avid boater Rodrigo Samsing expressed his frustration saying, “There are a lot of good kids out there, but it doesn’t seem like they’re one of them. It just really infuriates you to see someone trash the ocean like that. You know, nobody else on the boat tried to stop them. Everybody was just celebrating, I mean they already had the trash sitting in the garbage can, they could have just put a bag, grabbed a bag, filled it up and thrown it away.”
Event organizers claimed they felt bad about irresponsible behavior that tarnishes the Boca Bash’s “reputation.” They said the event which is believed to rake in huge revenues from vacationers is intended to be a “fun yet safe gathering” for local youth and visitors.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in conjunction with local police has launched an investigation into the incident. Reports indicate that the individuals involved have been identified though no charges have been announced yet.
