Q. When is hurricane
season?
A. Hurricane season runs from
June 1st through November 30th.
Q. I know SWA wants all
residents to do regular yard maintenance year round but what is the best
time for me to do major cutting and/or tree removal?
A. Hurricane season has ended
by December and even though we have not yet experienced a hurricane in
June, it doesn't mean it won't happen. All major cutting and/or tree
removal should be done between December 1st and April 30th. There
should be no major cutting done from June 1st through November 30th.
Q When preparing for
hurricane season, is there a limit to the amount of vegetation I can
place at the curb for collection?
A.YES. Beginning
October 1, 2008, yard waste is limited to 6 cubic yards per week.
All yard waste, with the exception of tree branches or palm fronds must
be containerized in standard 32-50 gallon cans or bags that weigh less
than 50 lbs when filled. All branches must be 6 ft or less in length.
Residents with more than 6 cubic yards of debris should ask their
contractor to include the price of hauling and disposal in their
service. Residents doing their own major trimming can contact any
private hauler listed in the Yellow Pages under the heading "Rubbish
Removal" or contact their franchise hauler directly for their contracted
special service fee for hauling and disposal.
Q. Why shouldn't I do
major cutting in May when hurricane season doesn't officially begin
until June 1st?
A. If everyone waited until
May, the disposal and collection system will become overburdened making
it impossible to process all vegetation before a June hurricane
landfall. In hurricane force winds, that excessive debris may then pose
a danger not only to you but your neighbors as well.
Q. Does SWA collect my
storm debris or is it FEMA that provides the service?
A. Neither. SWA manages Palm
Beach County's storm debris program in accordance with FEMA rules and
guidelines. SWA hires private contractors to collect all residential
storm debris and FEMA representatives interpret and enforce the rules of
collection.
Q. I live in a gated
community or on a private road. Will SWA collect my storm debris?
A. If you reside in
unincorporated Palm Beach County and receive curbside collection service
your storm debris will be collected at the curb. If you reside in a
multi-family unit such as a condominium and have containerized
(dumpster) service, your community will need to hire a private company
at your cost to transport all storm debris to the nearest public
road right-of-way for collection.
Q. When can we expect to
have the first collection of storm debris?
A. Depending upon the
severity of the storm, It may be 3-6 weeks before residents receive
their first collection of storm debris.
Q. How soon will my
regular garbage be collected following a storm?
A. Garbage collection is our
first priority and it will be the first thing collected following a
storm's passing. Residents should place garbage curbside on their
regular scheduled collection day.
Q. How many times will a
contractor collect debris from my home?
A. Contractors provided a
minimum of 3 passes following the storms of 2004 and 2005. The actual
number of times can change depending upon the severity of the storm and
the amount of damage it leaves behind.
Q. What will SWA
contractors collect on the first pass?
A. Clean vegetative debris
only is collected on the first pass. If your vegetative debris is mixed
with construction or other debris, it will not be collected until the
final pass. Residents are consistently reminded through numerous media
outlets that different types of debris should not be mixed.
Q. Why do I have to
separate my yard waste from my construction debris? Can't you pick them
up in the same truck?
A. The collection of storm
debris can be very costly and keeping debris types separate reduces the
overall cost which is a savings to the taxpayer. Processing clean
vegetation is much cheaper to process and the material is properly
recycled. Vegetation mixed with construction and other debris cannot be
recycled or reduced in size. It must therefore be disposed in the
landfill at a much higher cost and causes unnecessary use of valuable
landfill space.
Q. The storm debris
contractor left a lot of leaves and pine needles when they picked up my
large pile. Who is responsible for cleaning that up?
A. The homeowner is
responsible for cleaning up residual debris following the first
collection. All leaves, twigs, pine needles etc need to be raked up and
containerized in plastic bags for collection on the next pass. Small
debris that is not containerized cannot be collected by the heavy
equipment used by storm debris contractors.
Q. Will there be more
damage to my property from the storm debris collection process?
A. Because of the
specialized, heavy duty equipment used to collect as much debris as
possible in the shortest amount of time, minor damage to swales and
lawns is not uncommon. Residents should be prepared to add fill dirt and
sod to the staging area of their yard if this occurs.
Q. If our community does
not want to wait for SWA and we hire a private contractor, will we get
reimbursed?
A. No! There is no
reimbursement provided to any individual or community that hires a
private contractor to remove and dispose of storm debris generated from
a federally declared natural disaster.
Q. I live in the city
limits. Will SWA be picking up my storm debris?
A. No. The SWA does not
provide collection services for any of the 37 municipalities in Palm
Beach County. Residents within the city limits need to contact their
municipal offices directly with questions or concerns. In most cases
they should contact the Public Works Department.
Q. How do I dispose of
roofing shingles or tiles?
A. Small amounts of roofing
shingles or tiles should be containerized by double bagging. Small
amounts placed loosely at the curb are impossible to collect
mechanically and if collection is attempted the result is usually
extensive damage to the lawn, swale or street. If you have a large
amount we recommend the rental of a roll-off container or having your
roofer include the cost of removal of the shingles in their roof
replacement estimate. In many cases, these costs are covered by your
insurance company.
Q. I filled my recycling
bins with drywall. Why would my hauler keep passing them by instead of
emptying them?
A. Your recycling bins
should never be used for anything other than recycling. Your
recycling collector will not pick up trash and your trash hauler will
not touch a recycling bin. Drywall and other small amounts of
construction debris should be double bagged under 50 pounds.
Q. My fence blew down.
Will SWA pick it up from the curb?
A. Fencing is collected by
SWA contractors and should be placed at the curb in a pile separate from
vegetative debris and household garbage.
Q. Will SWA contractors
come into my yard to collect my large debris so I don't have to
transport it to the curb?
A. FEMA guidelines do not
provide for contractors to come into a resident's yard to collect
debris. All debris must be moved curbside or to the nearest public
right-of-way.
Q. Why can't SWA guarantee
a truck will come to pick up my neighbor's and my large piles of debris
when they know a storm is approaching? We could be seriously harmed by
flying debris if it isn't collected!
A. The SWA encourages
residents to plan well ahead by completing all major cutting by April
30th. If all residents cut large amounts of debris after a storm is
nearing landfall, there is not enough manpower, equipment or hours in
the day to collect and dispose of it all. The SWA and the haulers also
have to prepare their own facilities and equipment to safely weather the
approaching storm. The SWA arranges for collection of debris from
routine yard maintenance all year long however, residents should make
arrangements to have their contractor dispose of debris from tree
removal and other major trimming. If residents choose to do their own
major cutting they will need to bring the debris to the SWA landfill
located in West Palm Beach or and SWA permitted facility. There is a fee
for disposal.
Q. Will SWA arrange for
contractors to collect storm debris from my place of business?
A. No! Businesses do
not receive storm debris collection from SWA's contractors and must make
private arrangements for its removal
Q. Will my stumps also be
collected?
A. Stumps are collected
however they are picked up by a separate contractor and generally
collected from the middle to the end of our cleanup efforts.
Q. Is there a cut-off date
for getting my storm debris curbside?
A. There is a cut-off date
however we do not know the exact date until collection begins and
progress is measured. Generally speaking collection can take anywhere
from 45-180 days to complete. Residents should stay tuned to local media
for SWA public announcements or visit our website at www.swa.org.
Residents may also call SWA Customer Information Services at
561-697-2700 or 1-866-792-4636 (toll-free).
