Waste disposal increases in Miami prior to Hurricane Irma

Miami residents have increased their waste disposal by almost 300 tons per day in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, a report by the Miami Herald says.

In the city alone, residents have dumped 650 to 750 tons of waste per day, from yard clippings to water heaters. Mario Nunez, director of solid waste, says in the report that crews typically pick up 360 tons per day, including numbers from the city’s mini dump facility.

Bulk waste is collected once per week in Miami, but the report says crews were having to go back to neighborhoods they already collected from to pick up new piles. Nunez says in the report that the city was receiving complaints from neighbors about residents taking advantage of the additional pickups by trimming their trees and disposing of rock, dirt, two-by-fours and anything else that could be considered a projectile.

The 300-member crew worked 12 to 14 hours per day using 90 pieces of heavy equipment and another 50 light-duty vehicles to pick up the extra debris. The report says Nunez was logging that information separately to prepare for FEMA reimbursement requirements.

By Sept. 6, Miami-Dade County suspended bulky waste pickups completely.