Abstract
This publication examines the costs that the city of Ft. Lauderdale incurred to establish a Sargassum compost facility. The objective of this analysis is to provide insights to other municipalities and small businesses around south Florida who are considering starting similar composting operations with the expectation that Sargassum composting will provide them with more space in their landfills while maintaining their beaches’ tourist appeal. The data for this analysis were collected through interviews in 2021 with several individuals in municipalities and small businesses, which use a wide range of Sargassum management strategies. We found that Ft. Lauderdale saves at least $326,000 annually by operating its own composting facility.