Storm debris pickup begins in some areas impacted by Hurricane Helene

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Published  September 30, 2024 8:17am EDT
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Storm debris cleanup begins in some areas

Solid waste removal is underway in parts of the Bay Area in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

TAMPA, Fla. - As thousands of Tampa Bay area residents assess the damage to their homes from Hurricane Helene, crews in parts of the region are starting to pick up debris left behind by the storm.

Officials often recommend following the FEMA model when separating debris and placing it out for removal.

  • Don't place any debris near trees, poles or other structures.
  • When separating piles:
  • Start with electronics, then large appliances like refrigerators, washer/dryer units and stoves.
  • Have one pile dedicated to hazardous waste. That includes oils, paint, compressed gas and batteries (except for lithium batteries).
  • Put any plants or branches into their own pile
  • Separate construction debris including building materials, drywall, lumber, carpet and furniture.
  • Household garbage should be in a separate pile.

Here's what we know so far about solid waste collection in parts of the Bay Area.

Citrus County

Officials with the City of Crystal River say residential waste collection services are resuming on Monday as scheduled, adding that storm debris must be separated from regular garbage.

Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergrast told FOX 13 on Monday that storm cleanup efforts are underway, particularly in coastal areas hit hard by record-breaking storm surge.

Click here for disaster resources and information from the county.

For the county's Solid Waste Management department, click here.

Hernando County

Debris pickup began on Saturday in Hernando County and will continue until it's all cleared.

Hillsborough County

Both the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County will start collecting debris on Monday.

Manatee County

Regular trash pickup in Manatee County resumes on Monday, according to the county's website.

The City of Bradenton has begun picking up storm debris.

Pasco County

Pasco County officials opened drop-off locations over the weekend. For more information, click here.

Pinellas County

Crews will go by zones in unincorporated areas of Pinellas County, with most of the early work happening on the barrier islands. Officials are still working out the final schedule for pickup.

The City of St. Petersburg will do multiple city-wide sweeps, likely starting no earlier than Oct. 7.

Sarasota County

Debris pickup in Sarasota County will begin by Wednesday, Oct. 2.

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