Hurricane Milton debris pick-up: County-by-county

CENTRAL, FL - As Central Floridians begin the cleanup process following Hurricane Milton, officials are releasing plans for the proper disposal of yard waste and construction debris.

A county-by-county list of these debris pick-ups and drop-offs can be found below.

ORANGE COUNTY

Beginning Monday, October 14, 2024, designated drop-off sites will accept non-commercial yard waste, including leaves, branches, and other natural debris. 

The sites will be open:

• Monday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sites will not be accessible to the public before Monday. 

Sites include:

• Conway Water Treatment Plant – 3590 Manatee Street, Orlando, FL 32822
• Harrell Road – 8503 Trevarthon Road, Orlando, FL 32817
• Zellwood Maintenance Unit – 3500 Golden Gem Road, Apopka, FL 32712

The sites will accept only loose vegetative debris—no bags or containers. White goods (large household appliances) and other household items will not be accepted. 

Contractors, lawn care, or commercial companies are prohibited from using these drop-off sites. 

Upon arrival, residents must present a valid driver’s license, utility bill, or other official document verifying Orange County residency. 

Residents can use the county’s interactive map to find their nearest drop-off site.

Orange County Government expects to begin its storm curbside debris removal for unincorporated Orange County by Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. 

Two debris contractors and one debris monitor will be deployed with heavy-duty equipment to consolidate and remove storm-related debris. 

Contractors will collect piles at the curb that are too large to be picked up through the County’s residential curbside collection program. 

Residents are encouraged to separate debris by type:

• Vegetative
• White goods
• Household items
• Etc.

Once separated, place the items at the curb for collection as soon as possible.

BREVARD COUNTY

As you begin cleaning up vegetative debris from Hurricane Milton, please avoid the following:

• Do not bag your material.
• Do not place debris near trees or mailboxes.
• Do not pile debris over water meters or storm drains.
• Do not stack debris under overhead wires.

Regular waste management operations have resumed.

FLAGLER COUNTY

To allow residents and contractors sufficient time for post-storm cleanup, Flagler County has tentatively scheduled dedicated debris pickup to begin on Monday, Oct. 21.

WastePro will resume commercial and roll-off pickups on Monday, Oct. 14, allowing residents to utilize this service for early debris removal. Please separate household garbage from debris, which includes:

• Household bagged garbage
• Vegetative debris (tree branches, lawn clippings, logs, plants)
• Appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, air conditioners, stoves, water heaters)
• Electronics (TVs, computers, stereos, phones)
• Building materials (drywall, lumber, carpet, plumbing, furniture)
• Hazardous materials (oil, batteries, pesticides, paint, cleaning supplies, compressed gas)

To prevent flooding and ensure proper stormwater drainage, please avoid blocking ditches and swales. 

When placing debris curbside, do not obstruct driveways, roadways, mailboxes, or utility poles. 

Residents in incorporated areas should contact their city’s solid waste department for information on collection schedules.

LAKE COUNTY

In unincorporated areas, debris contractors are en route and are expected to arrive in Lake County by this week. 

Bulk pickups will be paused to allow haulers to focus on removing vegetative debris (branches, tree limbs, etc.). 

When setting out debris, please leave enough space for garbage and recycling carts to be picked up. Remember:

• Keep storm debris separate from normal yard waste.
• Place grass clippings, leaves, and small twigs in the yard waste pile (using proper biodegradable bags or containers).
• Do not use trash or recycling carts for yard waste.

SEMINOLE COUNTY

Residents preparing curbside debris piles are advised to exercise caution when using chainsaws and to follow important safety tips. 

Those needing assistance or who have a disability can call the Seminole County Citizen Information Line at 407-665-0000 to register for volunteer aid. 

More information can be found online.

As of now, no specific dates have been announced for debris pickup in the county, but officials ask residents to prepare curbside debris by Monday, Oct. 21, at the latest.

Curbside guidelines include:

• Separate vegetative disaster debris (branches, tree trunks, limbs, etc.) from construction and demolition disaster debris (building materials, large items) into two distinct piles at the curb.
• Keep debris piles off streets, sidewalks, and storm drains, and away from fire hydrants, mailboxes, or other structures.
• If possible, cut branches and logs into 4-foot sections.
• Combine your pile with neighbors to create larger piles for quicker collection.
• Avoid using plastic bags for vegetative debris; instead, pile debris or place it in bins, paper bags, or bundles.

Residents can also bring debris to the Seminole County landfill located at 1930 East Osceola Road in Geneva at no charge for unincorporated Seminole County residents.

OSCEOLA COUNTY

To handle debris from Hurricane Milton, the County is opening a free yard waste drop-off site on Canoe Creek Road across from Bramble Wood Drive and Kanuga Village. 

It will be open to Osceola County residents daily from October 12 to October 20, daily from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. If necessary, the timeline may be extended.

The County will also deploy a contractor to collect hurricane-related debris from the curb. 

Construction debris must be separated from yard debris and placed between the sidewalk and street.

Mixed debris will not be collected. 

Private, gated subdivisions within the unincorporated County should reach out to Osceola County Solid Waste for a Right-of-Entry-Form at 407-605-3892.

VOLUSIA COUNTY

Volusia County officials are committed to working with debris haulers for an efficient Hurricane Milton debris removal program. 

Residents in unincorporated areas and on county-maintained roads should place storm debris in the public right of way, the area extending from the street to the sidewalk, ditch, utility pole, or easement. 

Debris should not obstruct the road, as it impedes traffic, cleanup, power restoration efforts, and emergency vehicles.

Debris should be separated into distinct piles for:

• Vegetative debris (leaves, branches, and cut trees)
• Construction and demolition debris (building materials, carpet, furniture, fences, drywall)
• Appliances and white goods (refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, stoves)

Do not place vegetative debris in plastic yard waste bags, as the storm debris removal contractor will leave bagged debris for weekly residential yard waste collection. 

Mixed debris piles, electronics, and household hazardous waste will not be collected. 

Volusia County will begin mass debris removal operations for households in unincorporated areas and along county-maintained roads starting on Friday, Oct. 18.

MARION COUNTY

In response to Hurricane Milton, designated drop-off locations for vegetative debris will be available for residents. 

These sites will open on Sunday, October 13, and remain accessible until Sunday, October 27, 2024, with daily hours from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The drop-off locations include:

• Next to Belleview Public Library: 13145 SE County Highway 484, Belleview, FL 34420
• SW Hwy 484 and SW 57th Ave Road: 5700 SW Hwy 484, Ocala, FL 34473
• NE Jacksonville Road: 5823 NE Jacksonville Rd, Ocala, FL 34479

Residents must provide proof of residency in an unincorporated area. Please note that these locations are for noncommercial debris only and are specifically designated for tree debris and vegetative materials. 

Yard clippings, construction debris, household garbage, and debris from lot clearing are not accepted.

Additionally, teams are preparing for roadside debris pickup from public roads throughout Marion County. Collection of tree and vegetative debris from the major road network will begin on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

SUMTER COUNTY

• Storm-related tree/vegetation debris should be piled in the road Right-of-Way, which is usually the grassy area of residential front lawns, behind the pavement or outside the fence.
• Debris may NOT be placed on the road. The debris haulers will not pick it up.
• Residential storm-related debris should be piled up by October 20, 2024, for pick-up by our contracted debris haulers.
• Do not place household garbage or other storm debris (ruined carpets, flooring, appliances, etc.) for pick-up. Our debris collection contractor will NOT pick it up.
• Do not place storm-related debris on the roadway pavement, vacant property, county parks, etc. Again, our debris collection contractor will NOT pick it up.

After October 20th you must remove your own debris. The contractor will only be coming through the neighborhood one time. 
 

POLK COUNTY

Debris collection is set to begin on Monday, Oct. 14, giving residents time to place hurricane debris at the curb before trucks enter neighborhoods. 

Please do not place debris in roadways or near permanent structures such as trees, mailboxes, or under power lines, as large claw trucks cannot navigate narrow roads or maneuver around obstacles.

The county will initially focus on the most heavily damaged areas that are not flooded. A debris removal progress website will launch next week for residents to monitor the cleanup status.

Debris haulers will cover the entire county, so residents do not need to call to report or request service. However, questions can be directed to the Residential Hurricane Milton Debris Hotline at (833) 843-1920.

To ensure debris pickup at the curb, please separate items into the following categories:

• Vegetative debris (un-bagged leaves, logs, plants, tree branches)
• Construction and demolition debris (building materials, carpet, drywall, furniture, lumber, mattresses, 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.)

Residents who wish to self-haul debris can drop it off at the following locations at no cost during regular operation hours:

• Polk County North Central Transfer Station: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (3131 K-Ville Ave, Auburndale).
• Yard waste/vegetative debris only drop-off sites: Open Monday through Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting Sunday, Oct. 13.
• Polk County Strickland Avenue: 5901 Strickland Ave., Lakeland
• Polk County Marigold: 9500 Marigold Ave., Poinciana

The county aims to have all Hurricane Milton debris cleared by Nov. 24, 2024.

We will update this story as more information on debris pick-up becomes available for Central Florida counties.