FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (NewsNation) — In an effort to address the abundance of seaweed along Florida’s coastal communities, the city has implemented a composting method, transforming it into dirt.

A 5,000-mile-long mass of seaweed, part of what’s called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, stretches from the Atlantic Ocean and into the Caribbean. It started washing up Florida shores in April.

However, the City of Fort Lauderdale is taking the smelly problem on its beaches and repurposing it. Instead of buying soil, workers are repurposing the seaweed into nutrient-rich soil, saving the city thousands of dollars.

“We save on landfill space and on disposal cost,” said John Saavedra of the Fort Lauderdale Park and Recreation.

The seaweed is dropped off in a landfill, which the city views as a valuable source. Each load delivered by the truck will eventually accumulate into a significant mound of soil with a potential value reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Saavedra estimates potential savings of about $300,000 to $350,000.

So far in 2023, crews in Fort Lauderdale have collected 170% more compared to 2022.

“It seems like you clean up and as soon as you clean up there’s more,” Saavedra said.

Earlier this month, scientists at the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science released a report that shows the quantity of sargassum has decreased by 15% from April to May 2023. It marks the first time it has shrunk during this time of year since 2011, when the studies of the seaweed first began.

Peak seaweed blooming season is in June and July.

Experts said the floating seaweed belt is a natural phenomenon in the ocean, but when it washes up on beaches it rots, creating a toxic, smelly mess that can cause breathing problems for those with respiratory issues.

Florida health officials are warning people about a wave of seaweed smelling like rotten eggs, and while the seaweed itself doesn’t pose a threat, tiny sea creatures that live in it can cause skin rashes or blisters.