Residents relieved after Nassau River clean up

River was full of litter for full week

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – People in Nassau County are relieved that their river is now clean after it was full of litter for a full week.

A tractor-trailer carrying produce and Burger King products overturned last Saturday on Interstate 95 southbound in Yulee, spilling the debris all over the road and into the river below.

People who live in the area were extremely frustrated that nearly a week later the river was still littered.

Burger King contacted Channel 4 on Saturday and said the mess would be cleaned up, and on Sunday it was in fact gone.

"Oh, I think that's terrible, I mean, what it's doing to the environment," said Kurtis Adams.

A huge pile of litter is now gone from the Nassau River a week after a semi crash left produce like potatoes and onions, and Burger King products like bags and cardboard boxes scattered in the river.

Many complaints came into the Channel 4 newsroom. Many Nassau County residents said they use the river for fishing and other recreational activities, and people were not happy.

"I think it could have a major impact on that I wouldn't want to be fishing with garbage floating around depending on what was in there," said Lester See. "I don't really know but if it's hazardous to the fish or people who eat the fish, that would be awful."

Channel 4 didn't get a response from Burger King on Friday about who was responsible for cleaning up the mess but they got back to us Saturday morning and said it would be cleaned up on Saturday. When we went back on Sunday, it was in fact taken care of.

The smell of onions and potatoes came from a dumpster where the debris was disposed.

Adams said if the trash stayed in the river much longer, he would have taken it into his own hands.

"I would have got a group of people together and cleaned it up myself, get it out there as quick as possible," said Adams. "It's definitely not a good thing to have trash in your water."

People who live in this area said they're just happy the trash is in the dumpster and not in their river.