LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. — Following last week's EF-0 tornado, those who live in Loxahatchee are concerned with cleaning up their properties, saying the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) isn't picking up their debris. With hurricane season just weeks away, WPTV's Michael Hoffman reaches out for answers.
Residents living in Loxahatchee reached out to Hoffman with their concerns. While we're still in drought conditions, and burning may not be an option, he reached out to the Solid Waste Authority to get those answers.
WATCH MICHAEL HOFFMAN'S COVERAGE BELOW:
Subrina Edghill, a resident in The Acerage, recounts the events of Monday’s EF-0 tornado.
“There were branches everywhere, leaves everywhere,” said Edghill. "There was a huge tree that had fallen.”
She says because the National Weather Service officially determined that Monday’s storm was in fact a tornado, she thought the Solid Waste Authority would pick up all of this debris free of extra charge. However, she was shocked to see an orange ticket on a pile of debris that had not been picked up.
“We thought that they would be aware that there was a situation, there was a storm,” said Edghill. “That was quite disappointing.”
Upon reaching out, SWA officials confirmed that no state of emergency has been declared at the local, state, or national level. They say that because the damage was limited in scope, standard waste collection protocols remain in effect. Palm Beach County residents are reminded that weekly curbside vegetation waste collection is capped at six cubic yards per household. For those who have more than the weekly limit, there are several options available.
Residents can choose to place up to 6CY of debris at the curb each week until all storm-related vegetation has been removed. Alternatively, they can coordinate with the SWA to schedule a one-time bulk pickup. This service is available at a contracted rate of $8 per cubic yard. To arrange this service, residents should contact SWA Customer Service at 561-697-2700.
Another option is to hire a private hauler for debris removal and pay the applicable fees directly. For homeowners who experienced significant property damage, officials advise reviewing their property insurance policies, as coverage for debris removal may be included.
Authorities are urging residents to remain patient and follow the outlined procedures to ensure efficient and orderly storm recovery efforts.
Desperate, some residents have resorted to burning the debris. However, Palm Beach County is still in drought conditions, making it sometimes unsafe to burn a fire. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue says to call the Florida Forest Service Office at this number, 954-453-2800 to make sure burning is allowed in their area that day.
Edghill says the policy is surprising, given the lack of time to prepare for the tornado.
“A surprise and out of the blue, you know,” said Edghill. “So I think they should be a little bit more lenient when things like this occur.”
