Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, finishes Irma debris cleanup

The final day of collection for Tropical Storm Irma debris will be Tuesday Jan. 16 in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia,

and residents are urged to make sure they have put all of the debris brought down by Irma on the curb by Sunday, Jan. 6. Macon-Bibb officials say any uncollected piles are to be reported directly to the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) or through the county’s SeeClickFix website and mobile app.

“We’re nearing the end of collecting Irma debris, and the piles we’re now starting to see are regular yard waste piles,” Solid Waste Director Kevin Barkley says. “There are still some streets and neighborhoods that need Irma debris collection, but we’ll be collecting fresh piles as part of our regular routes going forward.”

The debris that has been collected so far has been mulched at the temporary debris sites, and it will be available for Macon-Bibb County residents to pick up for free. From Jan. 8 through Jan. 26, people can go to the Public Works Department or the old animal shelter at 1000 Eleventh St. to pick up the mulch. County officials say the mulch is a rough cut and may not be suitable for all types of use.

Only personal trucks and trailers will be allowed to take a load of mulch, not commercial trucks or businesses. Residents much bring with their own shovels and vehicles; there will not be staff on hand to help load the mulch. Any mulch not collected after Jan. 26 will be used by Macon-Bibb County in parks and other projects.

“Our residents have been very patient and have done an exceptional job of working with our crews to make this process go as smoothly as possible. This is our way of giving something back as a small token of gratitude,” EMA Director Spencer Hawkins says.

Since collections began Oct. 12, crews have collected 83,184.8 cubic yards of material in 2,135 loads. They have worked seven days a week to clean the debris, taking off for holidays and bad weather.

Macon-Bibb's bulk waste collection system was profiled in a previous issue of Waste Today.