Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 10-13-17

Local
City Official Says 1st Phase Of Clearing Debris Should Be Completed In 15 Days
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Since Hurricane Irma left debris strewn throughout the city more than a month ago, residents have been wonder- ing when the piles in front of their residences would be re- moved.
Initially, after the storm passed through Tampa on September 10, 2017, residents were instructed to place the debris at curbside right away for pick up. In most areas of the city, the debris has been sitting ever since.
Mark Wilfalk, Director
of the City of Tampa Solid Waste Dept., said City crews initially started picking up the debris, but now mostly sub- contractors are doing the work.
This week, some areas of East Tampa started to see the debris being moved.
“The map is filling in nicely on the East side,” Wil- falk said. “We have at least 2 crews in each area of the city. They are working 7 days a week, from 7 to 7, and drop- ping off 8,000 cubic yards of debris per day,” he explained.
According to the Police Grid, there are 19 grids in
TV, etc.
“A lot of the items are not
eligible for collection at this time. This is specifically for vegetative items from the storm. The collectors will try to pull the storm vegetation out and leave the other items, or bypass the pile altogether,” he said.
“We’re asking the commu-
nity to help on this. If it’s a small amount of debris left, we’re asking the residents to collect and place in recepta- cles for the next trash pickup,” he said.
Persons with debris other than storm vegetation, can also make arrangements for it to be taken to McKay Bay.
(Photos by BRUNSON)
Piles of storm debris similar to this pile will be removed by con- tractors.
Those who are removing piles of hurricane debris will not pick up mattresses and carpet padding left at curbside.
MARK WILFALK ...Director, City of Tampa Solid Waste Dept.
East Tampa that will be started on, and 27 grids in South Tampa. He’s expecting to have the first phase of the work completed in 10-15 days.
Excess Debris Wilfalk was asked about
the excess items that are on a lot of the piles of debris – mattresses, furniture items,
This pile of debris in East Tampa is waiting to be picked up.
The contractors picked up the storm debris, but left the mat- tresses. Mark Wilfalk, Director of Solid Waste said, this is not the time to pick up these items.
These garbage bags of trash also are not eligible for pickup.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-A