Hurricane Ian debris piles line streets in Hillsborough, Pinellas counties
TAMPA, Fla. - Hurricane Ian toppled trees and broke branches in yards across the Tampa Bay area. The raking, sawing and bagging is mostly done, leaving streets on both sides of the Bay dotted with large piles of debris.
Collection of storm related yard waste in Tampa started a week ago. The city has about 30 crews working 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
"If you have debris in your yard, take it out, set it out front, curbside, and we'll pick it up," Larry Washington, the director of Solid Waste and Environmental Program Management, said after the storm hit. "Make sure you have a five-foot clearance, and we'll come and collect it as soon as possible."
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You can check the current status of debris collection where you live online. City officials said it is expected to take up to 60 days to remove the mess left by Hurricane Ian.
In Hillsborough County, contracted disaster debris haulers started collecting large storm waste curbside last Thursday.
"We're asking residents, the really small stuff, leaves, twigs, things that can't be picked up with by hand or with a grapple truck, to go ahead and bag that material or put it in a container," manager of sustainable materials, Travis Barnes said last week.
Vegetation needs to be binned, bagged or stacked near the curb this week or residents can bring storm debris to the county’s four residential drop-off sites An online map also lets you see where crews are working in the unincorporated areas.
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We are told the goal is to have the majority cleared in 30 days.
"We are turning all of our vegetative debris into a mulch," said St. Petersburg Leisure Services Administrator Mike Jefferis.
Residential clean up in St. Petersburg started last Wednesday. Officials said about 16 teams made up of city staff are out in the neighborhoods gathering the debris and estimate it will take about five weeks to clear every street.
You are asked not to bag any yard waste, to only include vegetative debris, and to pile it all at the edge of your property clear from other trees, fire hydrants or signs.
"If it will fit in the residential container, go ahead and do that," Jefferis said. "We really are looking for those logs in that debris that won't fit in the containers that the city provides."
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In unincorporated Pinellas County, residents need to make their own arrangements for large storm debris removal. Smaller items can be placed in trashcans and disposed of through your usual municipal or solid waste hauler.
For the areas where crews are picking up the debris, they ask for your patience over the next few weeks as they systematically work to do the collections.