Here's what you need to know about storm debris cleanup county-by-county

Hurricane debris removal could take months

FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan takes a look at the challenges and goals surrounding the storm debris removal process, which could take months to complete.

TAMPA, Fla. - After Hurricanes Helene and Milton brought strong impacts to the Tampa Bay area, cleaning up storm debris is among the greatest challenges many areas will face in the months to come.

Crews worked to remove as much debris as possible from Helene as Milton approached the Gulf coast, with Governor Ron DeSantis saying workers made significant progress.

In a news conference last weekend after Milton, DeSantis said Florida is taking advantage of President Joe Biden’s Emergency Declaration, allowing the state to get reimbursed for 100% of the cost of hurricane-related debris removal for 90 days.

READ: Tampa Bay area families displaced by back-to-back hurricanes looking for resources

Here's a look at how counties and cities in the Bay Area are handling the debris removal process.

Citrus County

The Citrus County Landfill has resumed normal hours and is no longer waiving any fees. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Anyone with questions about residential debris pickup is asked to call 352-527-5477.

For more information, click here.

Hernando County

Curbside yard waste collection is provided by Republic Services in all unincorporated areas of the county. The company can be reached at 352-540-6457.

For details on proper procedures for curbside collection, click here. For solid waste drop-off locations, click here.

Highlands County

Residents need to have all storm debris at the edge of their yard by Sunday, Oct. 20 and ready for collection on Monday, Oct. 21. Phillips and Jordan, debris haulers, will make one pass for storm debris collection in Highlands County, including the municipalities and special districts.

Tipping fees for the county's landfill will be waived until Nov. 7.

For more information, click here.

Hillsborough County

Two solid waste facilities are accepting storm debris open 24/7:

Hillsborough Heights Solid Waste Facility - 6209 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584 (temporary entrance on Taylor Road)
Resource Recovery Facility - 350 N. Falkenburg Road, Tampa, FL 33619

Two other solid waste facilities are accepting storm debris and are open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Northwest County Solid Waste Facility - 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, FL 33625
South County Solid Waste Facility - 13000 U.S. 41, Gibsonton, FL 33534

To check which day you can set out yard waste for pickup in your neighborhood, click here.

Anyone with questions is asked to call 813-272-5680.

City of Plant City

Call 813-659-4222 to make arrangements for a special pick-up.
One free load of yard debris per 12 month period is allowed per residence.
Yard debris generated by a commercial entity (lawn maintenance or tree cutting companies) should not be placed at the curb.

For more information, click here.

City of Tampa

READ: City of Tampa has 90 days to clear all hurricane debris

City officials say 32 solid waste trucks and 23 contracted trucks are actively collecting storm debris each day, with the goal of completing cleanup within 90 days.

For a map outlining storm debris collection areas and the latest timeline for pickup, click here.

Residents who want debris removed faster can take their debris to the McKay Bay Transfer Station, located at 114 S 34th Street, at no charge. Privately-hired companies are charged $95 per ton.

For more information, click here.

City of Temple Terrace

Yard waste is only up on Wednesdays. On that day, the city collects yard clippings, leaves, tree limbs, tree trunks, palm fronds, mulch, grass, and shrubbery/brush.

As for other storm debris, homeowners must remove debris from construction and/ or landscaping or call Public Works at 813-506-6570 to arrange a special trash pick-up. This type of debris should not be placed in a regular-size bin for pickup.

For more information, click here.

Manatee County

For Manatee County residents who wish to remove storm-related debris – including vegetation, demolition & construction materials, and appliances & white goods – the Manatee County Landfill located at 3333 Lena Road is open 6 a.m. to midnight. Dumping fees have been waived for Manatee County residents.

A secondary drop-off site for Manatee County residents to bring residential debris due to hurricane damage is located at 4700 66th St W, Bradenton. Make sure to have a valid ID for proof of residency.

For more information, click here.

City of Bradenton

To ensure debris removal is conducted efficiently and safely, the City of Bradenton requests that residents follow these guidelines:

Place your debris curbside as soon as possible.
Priority will be given to areas with the most concentrated and unsafe debris.
Separate debris into specific categories for proper disposal:Vegetative debris (trees, branches, limbs and other leafy material)Construction materials (wood, fencing, drywall, glass, metal, roofing materials, tile, furnishings, fixtures, etc.)Appliances (refrigerators, ovens, freezers, air conditioners, washers, dryers, etc.)
Vegetative debris (trees, branches, limbs and other leafy material)
Construction materials (wood, fencing, drywall, glass, metal, roofing materials, tile, furnishings, fixtures, etc.)
Appliances (refrigerators, ovens, freezers, air conditioners, washers, dryers, etc.)

For more information, click here.

Pasco County

Pasco County is offering two options for county residents to dispose of storm/flood-related debris.

Drop-off locations:

East Pasco Transfer Station, 9626 Handcart Road, Dade City *(not accepting construction/demolition debris) | Open every day from 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for Pasco County residents
West Pasco Resource Recovery, 14606 Hays Road, Spring Hill | Open every day from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. for Pasco County residents

Pickup:

Pasco County will be picking up loose, storm/flood-related debris that is sorted into piles and placed by the curb. There will be some delays in debris pick-up due to flooding. We are asking for the community’s patience and cooperation during this recovery process.

Anyone with questions is asked to call 727-847-2411.

For more information, click here.

Pinellas County

Pinellas County resumed collection of residential storm debris from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in unincorporated areas on Monday, Oct. 14.

Click here to view the county's dashboard showing pickup locations, along with the progress crews have made so far.

For a list of drop-off sites around the county, click here.

City of Clearwater

The City of Clearwater is working extended hours to clear yard waste, construction, and demolition debris from city streets and residences. Officials say the process could take three months.

The city recommends speeding up the curbside collection process by properly sorting debris at the curb into three piles: large appliances, construction debris, and vegetative debris.

From Saturday, Oct. 19, through Saturday, Nov. 2, the city will open an additional drop-off site for yard debris and vegetation:

Woodgate Park, 2495 Countryside Blvd., open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, click here.

City of Largo

The City of Largo is contracted through Pinellas County for a private contractor to help with curbside debris collection.

For more information, click here.

City of St. Petersburg

For information on dropping off yard waste and brush in St. Petersburg, click here.

Click here for storm debris removal tips from the city.

Polk County

Polk County's Residential Hurricane Milton Debris Hotline is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 833-843-1920.

For full details on residential waste pickup, click here.

City of Lakeland

The City of Lakeland says there are between 200,000 and 250,000 cubic yards of tree and vegetative debris that will need to be removed from the streets.

Anyone with questions can contact the city's debris hotline at 863-834-TREE (8733).

For more information, click here.

Sarasota County

Two public drop-off sites are open for residents living in both unincorporated Sarasota County, as well as the municipalities, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

Rothenbach Park, 8650 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota
Jackson Road Transfer Station, 250 S. Jackson Road, Venice

For updates from the county on curbside collection down to your neighborhood, click here.

City of Sarasota

The City of Sarasota activated debris collection contractors on Wednesday, Oct. 16. City officials say more contractors and trucks are on the way to speed up the process.

For questions on storm debris collection, call 833-937-7739.

For more information, including guidelines for efficient debris removal, click here.