The City of St. Petersburg is progressing in its efforts to manage the extensive storm-related debris left by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The city will soon close its Temporary Debris Management Site at 1953 72nd St. N, effective Sunday, December 22. Until then, residents can dispose of vegetative, construction, and demolition debris at no cost during operating hours from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Following the closure of the temporary site, normal operations at all City Brush Sites will resume on Monday, December 23. Residents are encouraged to use these sites for debris disposal except on Christmas Day and New Year's Day when they will be closed. Information regarding locations and hours for these sites is available at stpete.org/BrushSites.
As part of the recovery efforts, St. Petersburg has completed the first of three planned citywide debris collection sweeps since Hurricane Helene impacted the area nearly 11 weeks ago. As of December 9, over 1,844,137 cubic yards of debris have been collected by the city and contracted haulers—surpassing totals from previous hurricanes Idalia, Ian, and Irma combined.
The Hometown Recovery Haulers program has also played a significant role in clearing more than 2,200 debris pickups from small businesses in heavily affected areas.
To facilitate further clean-up efforts, residents should sort their remaining debris into specific categories such as vegetative debris (branches and leaves), fencing materials (fallen fences), electronics (computers and televisions), appliances (refrigerators and stoves), and construction materials (drywall and lumber). Debris should be placed curbside but not in alleyways or on sidewalks.
Additionally, residents are advised to document flood damage with photos or videos before discarding any items for insurance or FEMA claims purposes.
For further details on debris removal processes or special pickup requests, visit stpete.org/SpecialPickup or stpete.org/debris.