ORLANDO, Fla. – More than one month after Hurricane Milton moved through Central Florida, debris pickup remains one of the biggest tasks for counties.
News 6 checked in with some of the public works and waste officials across the region to see how they are progressing.
While some areas have already been visited by contracted hauler trucks, other neighborhoods still have piles of debris stacked at the curb. And even though officials say Hurricane Milton did not cause nearly as much damage as Hurricane Ian, it will still take weeks for everything to be collected.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
“The way I look at it, debris management is always a marathon. It’s not a sprint,” said James Mullin, the Environmental Program Manager for Seminole County’s Solid Waste Division. “We still have, you know, a few weeks to a month or so to continue this collection event.”
Twenty-two hauling units are currently working in Seminole County, with additional help daily to get the job done. They have already filled up more than 2,000 truckloads of debris in recent weeks.
Mullin says the best way for citizens to help and ensure a smooth pick-up process is to make sure they are meeting debris guidelines.
“The best way to do it is to ensure your disaster debris is unbound, unbagged, and staged on the roadway for easy collection,” said Mullin.
After a storm like Milton, it’s common for local governments to hire contracted crews to clear out disaster debris, and once certain criteria are met, they can be reimbursed by FEMA.
Officials at Orange County Public Works are currently using two contractors in different regions, and they have a monitoring contractor to oversee the entire county.
They have already collected more than 58,000 cubic yards of debris so far and tell News 6 that even though some neighborhoods look untouched, they have at least been surveyed.
Residents who want to follow the progress or see what work is being done in their neighborhood can look at precise locations online on the county’s debris pickup status map.
It currently shows much of the debris pickup is still “in progress.” Only 13% is complete county-wide, according to the most recently available data online.
Ralphetta Aker McClary oversees the entire pick-up process for the county.
“There are 2,300 miles of roadway in Orange County, so it takes a while for those contractors to go up and down those neighborhood streets and pick up the debris at each resident’s home,” said McClary.
McClary says they are also dealing with the demand everywhere else.
“Everywhere else across, not just central Florida, but the greater State of Florida and then throughout the region,” said McClary. “You know, you’ve got 7 states that were impacted to some degree by Hurricane Helene, and then within 10 days, you had Hurricane Milton.”
Now, as the National Hurricane Center monitors a system that could develop over the next few days, local officials say they are keeping an eye on that too.
“We are monitoring that storm. Unfortunately for us, this is not the first time we’ve been through this process. Of course, 2004 immediately comes to mind with Charley, Jean, and Francis,” said McClary. “It’s not the norm, but we do know how to respond and we do know how to make ourselves ready.”
Updates from several counties working to clear debris are below:
Seminole County
“Following storm debris removal from contracted debris haulers (trucks with grapples/claws to pick up piles), small materials such as leaf litter and twigs may remain. The heavy machinery used by these haulers is unable to collect smaller materials.
This small debris left behind should be treated as normal yard waste. Please place in paper bags or designated bins for your regular yard waste pickup.
If your debris pile has not yet been collected, please remain patient, as collection efforts are expected to continue for several weeks. The Seminole County Solid Waste Division is actively coordinating with hauling and monitoring contractors. Currently, 22 hauling units are operational in Seminole County, with additional units being deployed to assist daily. To date, roughly 2,000 truckloads of debris have been removed, totaling around 65,000 cubic yards of waste.”
Seminole County
For more updates on Seminole County debris collection, click here.
Orange County:
- Option 1: Small amounts of debris? Can, bundle, or bag them for regular solid waste pickup! For guidelines, click here.
- Option 2: Citizen drop-off sites open Nov. 9 - 17. Drop off your debris there for free.
- Option 3: Contractors will collect larger debris piles. Reminder:
- Don’t place piles near mailboxes, trees, poles, or hydrants
- No mixed debris (only vegetative waste)
- Piles with mixed debris will not be collected on the first pass
For more information, click here.
Volusia County
“Storm debris collection efforts are progressing, positioning the County to secure 100% reimbursement from FEMA within the established timeframe. To date, we have collected nearly 175,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris in unincorporated areas and along County-maintained roads. The County’s debris contractor is utilizing over 30 hauling units daily. To expedite the debris collection, the County is also utilizing our own Road and Bridge crews to supplement the contractor’s trucks. Four citizen drop-off sites remain open daily, offering all county residents the opportunity to dispose of vegetative debris at their convenience and free of charge.
We ask residents to separate and place their debris according to the attached graphic, or they risk it not being picked up per FEMA regulations. Also, if a resident hires a contractor to trim or cut debris, the contractor must haul the debris to the Tomoka landfill or West Volusia Transfer Station and cannot place it on the road right-of-way for collection.”
Volusia County
Lake County
“We’re ramping up our debris collection efforts—tripling the number of trucks on the road starting this week! Our team and partners have been working tirelessly, and we appreciate your patience as we continue our recovery together.”
Lake County
Some important storm debris information to keep in mind:
- Place your debris in an area clear of powerlines or utility boxes.
- Storm debris collection is not based on your regularly scheduled yard debris pick-up day.
- The hauler will not walk onto your property to grab debris; you will need to pile debris in the correct area.
- They will remove all large vegetative debris gathered into loose piles on the right of way of publicly accessible roads.
- All debris needs to go on the side of the road (outside of your fence, in the right of way), but it’s very important that the debris does not BLOCK the road.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: