Picking up Hurricane Irma debris no small task in Polk

LAKELAND — Here are a couple of certainties about Hurricane Irma debris cleanup: It's going to be really expensive, and it will take at least a month to pick up all the limbs and fallen trees on the side of the road.

As a debris hauler hired by Polk County made its way into Bartow on Wednesday, Ana Wood, the head of Polk County’s garbage and recycling department, and Bill Beasley, Polk County deputy county manager, answered some questions about hurricane debris removal.

Q. What do you do with hurricane debris?

A. Put it at the curb as quickly as possible, Wood said. The contractor, Crowder and Gulf, of Alabama, has already been in Frostproof and Fort Meade and was expected to be in South Lakeland this week. If you delay placement of debris and they come in your neighborhood, then that means they will have to return again. Once yard debris is gathered, other items damaged in the hurricane will be picked up.

Q. Does hurricane-related debris need to be bagged?

A. No. Wood said routine yard waste still needs to be bagged and will be picked up by the garbage hauler. She said bags of yard waste cannot exceed 50 pounds and asked that debris not be placed under the hurricane debris.

Q. How much will it cost to remove and how much debris is there?

A. The price tag is unknown at this time, Beasley said. He expects as much debris from Hurricane Irma as all of the hurricanes in 2004. That year, the hurricanes left more than 2 million cubic yards of debris in their wake. It cost the county $27.64 million to pick up the mess. About $3.3 million of that was ruled unsuitable for FEMA reimbursement. FEMA did pay back 90 percent of the remainder — or about $23 million.

Q. Where will the debris be taken?

A. Wood said there will be sites across the county where haulers will take debris, including the northeast landfill in Haines City, the Southeast landfill in Lake Wales and Loyce E. Harp Park off West Carter Road.

Q. How long will it take to pick up debris?

A. Beasley said the county expects the debris hauler to take at least a month to pass through all the roads in the county's service area. Crowder and Gulf has already been working for a week in Polk. After that, the hauler will drive through neighborhoods to pick up any additional debris they may have missed.

John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-802-7588.