Published: December 6, 2024
Bartow, Fla. (Dec. 6, 2024) — Hurricane debris removal throughout the county is continuing, but the pace may seem slow to some residents.
After 52 days of debris collection following Milton, Polk County’s contracted hauler, AshBritt, Inc. has picked up 544,918 cubic yards of debris. Haulers are continuing to make progress in removing the debris.
“Given the water obstructions following Milton and limited debris removal resources, our operation is moving faster than most of the other counties in the state,” said Michael Teate, Polk County Roads and Drainage Maintenance Manager.
In November, residents were asked to have their debris placed curbside no later than Dec.1 so contracted haulers could quickly remove the piles. The county has made great strides in removing debris from areas of the county and are continuing to address areas of concern.
“Please be patient as we remove the debris. We are dealing with a lack of available haulers due to devastation across the state and in other states hit hard by the two back-to-back hurricanes. If our contracted haulers haven’t gotten to you yet, they will,’’ said Teate.
Co-mingled debris is also causing a delay for haulers. Residents are asked to separate the debris into the following categories:
- Vegetative Debris (unbagged leaves, logs, plants and tree branches)
• Construction and demolition debris (building materials, carpet, drywall, furniture, lumber, mattress, plumbing, etc.)
• Appliances and white goods (A/C units, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, etc.)
• Electronics (televisions, computers, etc.)
• Household hazardous waste (cleaning supplies, batteries, paints, pesticides, etc.)
If vegetative debris is co-mingled with fencing, construction materials and household items, it will not be picked up until haulers make their final pass through the county. Leaves, moss and small twigs must be bagged for collection.
Residents who would like to remove the debris themselves, can take it to the North Central Transfer Station. Please note there is a fee for the drop-off.
“We’ve seen comments and received calls from residents who have reported haulers passing by their piles. In many neighborhoods, the streets and cul-de-sacs are too narrow for larger trucks and tandem trucks to navigate. In these instances, debris cannot be collected until smaller trucks are available.” said Deputy County Manager of Infrastructure John Bohde.
Claw trucks picking up debris cannot navigate obstructions, such as power lines, low tree canopies, cars parked in the streets, or permanent objects including trees, mailboxes or fences.
“Our haulers are working diligently to get the debris picked up as quickly as possible, please continue to have patience. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to the Hurricane Milton Debris Hotline.” Bohde said.
Residents may contact the Hurricane Milton Debris Hotline at (833) 843-1920 or visit the Debris Removal Dashboard to follow the progress https://tt-emi.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/ac42fa5c4bfb475d966d19dbf575bf2f.