Yard debris, construction debris, and household debris, such as furniture and appliances should be separated into three piles.
September 30, 2022
Three debris piles: yard waste, construction/demolition, and white goods
As residents begin recovery efforts from the impacts of Hurricane Ian, the first steps will be to clear yard debris, remove damaged home construction materials, and remove furniture and appliances.
However, it is imperative to separate each of those types of debris when setting them curbside for pickup. Not only how it is separated, but where it is placed, makes a tremendous difference in the success of the collection process.
Types of Debris
All debris should be placed curbside, within 15 feet of the curb so that it can be reached by pickup crews and claw trucks. Debris should not be placed in the street where it can obstruct vehicular traffic, fire hydrants, mailboxes, and utility boxes.
Yard debris, construction debris, and household debris, such as furniture and appliances should also be separated. Mixed trash will not be picked up and City crews will NOT remove storm debris, including downed trees, from private property. Only materials left correctly curbside and in the city right-of-way will be picked up.
Yard debris is only vegetative and not mixed with any other types of debris or garbage. It consists of tree stumps, branches, trunks, and other leafy material. Only loose vegetative debris will be collected. Do not place storm debris in bags or cans as the crews will not know for certain it is vegetative material.
Construction debris may be placed curbside if the demolition work is being performed by residents. Hazardous waste such as chemicals, paint, propane, and pesticides will not be collected curbside. For proper disposal information, contact St. Johns County Solid Waste Management Department at 904.827.6980.
Furniture and white goods, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and other appliances, also should be separated into its own pile.
Debris Collection
The City of St. Augustine will determine the priority of debris pickup throughout areas of the city based on volume and accessibility to the debris. At this time, the priority for solid waste pickup is to assist residents and businesses with storm cleanup.
Debris pickup service will be provided by the city and its contractors. The city will attempt to provide a specific schedule for areas of the city; however, it is likely that multiple collection days will be necessary for the various types of debris as it is placed curbside.
As for regularly scheduled solid waste operations, the city will notify customers when normal operations resume.
For more information or with specific questions, call the Public Works Department at 904.825.1040.
