The Labor Day holiday and storm disrupted the regular schedule and that means crews will be removing a mountain of garbage and debris.
By GRAHAM BRINK
Published September 8, 2004
TAMPA - Like a petulant child, Frances made a big mess and left the cleanup to others.
But don't worry. Some relief is on the way for residents staring at a mountain of yard debris.
Regularly scheduled garbage service resumes today in most areas. And while none of the government garbage services will pick up everything, they will at least take some of the refuse off your hands.
"We expect to pick up at least twice as much garbage in the next week as we normally do," said Daryl Smith, the county's director of solid waste. "Most of that will be the extra yard waste."
Hillsborough County
In unincorporated Hillsborough County, residential customers can expect garbage pickup on their regular days. Since Monday's customers didn't get service because of Labor Day, they will be allowed to put out twice as much garbage next Monday, Sept. 13.
People who have garbage pickup on other days of the week will have to stick with the usual 2 cubic yards of garbage, or about six or seven large garbage cans. Branches and other pieces of wood cannot exceed 4 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter.
County residents can hire private contractors to haul away larger items or bring them to one of three county wood and yard waste facilities. Residents must show identification, such as a driver's license, as well as their annual county tax bill to prove they have paid for solid waste removal.
The sites are:
Northwest County Facility, 8001 W Linebaugh Ave.
Resource Recovery, 350 Falkenburg Road.
South County, 13000 S U.S. 41.
Those facilities are open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For information call 272-5680.
Tampa
Tampa will be back to the regular residential garbage pickup schedule Thursday. The city does not usually pick up residential garbage on Wednesday, so collectors will use today to catch up on areas they missed as a result of the Labor Day holiday.
Commercial pickups in the city will be a day behind the regular schedule until Monday.
Beginning Thursday, the city will collect light yard debris. The debris can be put in plastic bags or cans, or stacked neatly. It does not have to be bundled.
Heavier debris - including tree trunks, big branches and building materials - will be collected beginning next week. If practical, the debris should be cut into 5-foot lengths. A company contracted by the city will handle this pickup.
City residents who don't want to wait can take their yard waste to one of two city sites. Residents must provide proof of residency, such as a driver's license, and their most recent utility bill with residential garbage charges.
The locations are:
The Manhattan Brush Site, 7215 S Manhattan Ave., 21/2 blocks south of Interbay. The site accepts only yard waste. Call 832-1208 for operating hours.
The McKay Bay Transfer Station, 112 S 34th St., a block south of Adamo Drive. Call 242-5320 for operating hours.
Temple Terrace
The nearly 6,000 residential customers in Temple Terrace can expect their regular yard waste pickup today. Yard waste must be bagged or bundled. Branches cannot exceed 4 feet.
Temple Terrace officials also are looking into having a private contractor come in to remove bulkier yard waste. The dates for that special pickup have not been scheduled.
