Before, During & After the Storm

 During & After the Storm

Solid Waste & Recycling: Hurricane Information & Guidelines

Pre-Hurricane Season Maintenance: December – April

All major vegetation cutting (i.e., tree removal, tree pruning, etc.) should be completed well before June 1, the beginning of hurricane season. We encourage residents to perform all major pruning and tree removal from December 1 through April 30.

Once a storm has been named:

• Do not cut down trees or perform major yard work.
• Do not begin construction projects that include debris.
• Once a watch or warning has been issues, do not trim or prune vegetation of any kind.
• Do not take materials to the curb or the landfill during a watch or warning period.

After the storm:

• Please be patient.
• Keep household garbage, recycling, yard debris, and construction-storm debris in separate piles at least 3-feet apart.
• Securely containerize all household garbage in garbage bags to be placed in the correct garbage containers curbside on your scheduled day.

The City of Winter Haven will provide regular updates on the progress of debris collection.  We ask all residents within Winter Haven’s City limits to help us restore the City to it’s pre-storm state.  Every resident’s cooperation and support enables us to complete the entire process in the quickest, safest, and most efficient manner possible. 

Important Information:

• Do not call and ask that trucks be pulled from scheduled routes to pick up your own debris first.  Deviation from carefully planned routes causes delays in the entire system.
• There is no reimbursement provided to any resident or home owner association (HOA) who hires a private contractor to remove and dispose of storm-related debris.
• For additional information, contact the Solid Waste Division at 863-291-5756.