Lee County's hurricane season runs June 1 - November 30

Prior preparation can minimize the impact of storm damage to your property and reduce the amount of vegetative debris left behind.

​Pre-Hurricane Yard Maintenance - perform anytime March, April, May Cut back any trees or branches that contact your house, pool cage, shed or other buildings Thin foliage so wind can blow freely through branches, decreasing chances the plant will become uprooted during a storm. Place trimmings at the curb on your regular collection day.
Once a storm has been named or a hurricane watch/warning has been issued: Do not cut down trees or do any major yard work. Mass cutting produces a burden on the normal collection process. Do not begin construction projects that produce debris unless absolutely necessary to protect life and property. Clear your property of any items that could become a projectile during a storm and place them at the curb on your regular waste collection day.
Collection schedules may change prior to a declared storm Regularly scheduled garbage, recycling and yard waste collections are performed and remain in effect until sustained tropical storm force winds reach 39 mph, provided there are no road or bridge closures. Services may be suspended and facilities closed early to prepare for the storm.  Monitor local media outlets and this website for updates.	​

Collections After the Declared Storm Event:

Residents:

Debris must be placed in the right of way for collection - collection crews will not enter your private property to remove debris.

Please set out debris in separate piles as indicated in the diagram below. DO NOT BAG YOUR STORM DEBRIS. You can click on the image for a printable copy. This diagram is also available in Spanish and Creole.

Make sure that each pile is clear of any electrical lines, water meters, mailboxes and fire hydrants.

Keep any hazardous waste separate, and contact Solid Waste at 239-533-8000 for disposal options.

Clean-Up Dates: After a hurricane, listen to local media for updates. Lee County will issue press releases and post clean-up dates on the County's website, social media outlets, and/or advertise in the local newspaper. Ensure that all material is at the curb for pick up at the time of the announced date. Clean-up crews will proceed from street to street and collect only debris placed at the curb. Emergency access roadways will be cleared first.

Remember, in a severe storm, the entire county could be covered with debris. Please have patience. Resident safety is the No.1 priority which means getting household garbage off the street. Storm debris collection will immediately follow.

Businesses:

Please note that condominiums, apartments complexes and trailer parks are considered commercial property and will only receive one pass for debris collection in unincorporated Lee County. County officials, in partnership with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), recently received a waiver from FEMA that allows the county's hauler to complete one pass for commercial debris placed at the right of way. Commercial collection has begun and may take up to several weeks to complete. Any additional debris placed in front of condominiums, apartments and trailer parks after the county's hauler completes its single collection will not be picked up by the county. All gated communities must have a Right of Entry (ROE) and Indemnification form filed with the county to allow the county's contractor to access their gated property.

Citizen drop-off:

• Citizen drop off sites are for use by Lee County residents only.  
  
• No more than 5 cubic yards may be dumped at one time.
• Hours of operation are 7:00AM – 5:00PM.
  
• No after hours dumping.
• Any dumping after close of business will be considered illegal dumping.
• No white goods accepted – place white goods curbside next to, but separated, from regular trash and other debris.
• No household chemical or hazardous waste accepted – dispose of HCW at our facility located at 6441 Topaz Ct.
• No black bags – only clear bags or containerized debris accepted.  Debris must be visible.
• Keep yard waste separated from construction debris – do not mix debris.
• Submit either a yard waste or a construction and demolition debris form for each load to be dumped.
• Hurricane Milton CD Self Haul
  
• Hurricane Milton Landscaping Debris
  
• Forms are also available at each drop site.
• For any questions, please call 239-533-8000.
  

Gated communities:

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: During disaster clean-up, are my regular garbage and recyclable schedules affected?
A: No, your collection days will remain the same. Collection of garbage is the highest priority because of health concerns associated with rotting food. Regular garbage collections begin as soon as it is safe to do so and roadways are clear. There may be a delay before recycling collections resume depending on the severity of the storm and the amount of storm debris.

Q: What is the schedule for debris removal?
A: The County contracts with specialized vendors for the collection of storm debris. There will be regular announcements on local media and the county website to announce collection crew schedules.

Q: A hauler came and picked up part of my debris. Will they come back?
A: It is not unusual that a truck may pick up some of your debris but not all of it on a particular sweep. Trucks will come back later to pick up the remaining debris if placed at the curb prior to the announced final dates of debris clean up.

Residents with questions can call Lee County Solid Waste customer service at 239-533-8000. Additional information is available at www.leegov.com/storm.