Storm Debris

St. Johns County encourages gated communities to be prepared for hurricane season!

Property managers and residential homeowners’ association (HOA) presidents can take steps to protect their community in the event of a hurricane or other declared major disaster. Gated communities must have a current Right of Entry form on file before any disaster recovery crews are allowed access into your community to collect all storm-related debris.

St. Johns County has an easy, online process for submitting the necessary paperwork. Print and fill out a Right of Entry form, then email to solidwaste@sjcfl.us, or mail to: Solid Waste Division, 2750 Industry Center Rd, St. Augustine, FL 32084.

In the event of any weather-related incidents, regularly scheduled garbage, recycling and yard waste collections will continue until sustained tropical storm force winds reach 35mph, provided there are no road or bridge closures.

If waste collections have been suspended, due to an impending storm, please move all garbage, recycling and yard debris immediately to a secure area so they do not become projectiles.

Before, during, and after a storm, please check our St. Johns County website or local media for updates and announcements of changes to your collections schedule.

St. Johns County’s emergency debris hauler will begin collecting debris from the right-of-way after a storm. The contractor will make multiple passes through neighborhoods to ensure all storm-related debris is collected. Residents are encouraged to move storm debris curbside until the clean-up is complete.

Please adhere to the following information to assist the County in its recovery efforts.

• Place storm debris in piles along the curbside
• Pile storm-related debris un-bagged at the curb. (NO leaves or small items)
• Place storm debris at least three feet from utility boxes, mailboxes, poles, fire hydrants and other obstacles.
• Separate vegetation from all other storm-related debris
• Normal household garbage, recycling, and bagged debris of any kind will not be picked up with storm debris. Please continue to follow our normal garbage removal schedule.

No chemicals or hazardous waste will be collected curbside. All hazardous waste may be brought to Tillman Ridge or Stratton Road Transfer Station for disposal during operating hours.

After a hurricane, listen to local media for updates. St. Johns County will issue press releases and post clean-up dates on the County’s website, and/or advertise in the local newspaper.

Ensure that all material is at the curb for pick up at the time of the announced date.

Clean-up crews will proceed from street to street and collect only debris placed at the curb. Emergency access roadways will be cleared first. This is a large-scale operation and your patience is greatly appreciated.

Remember, in a severe storm, the entire county could be covered with debris. Please have patience. We will be working in the hardest-hit areas first and will pick up your debris as quickly as we can.

Our residential service providers, Republic Services and Waste Management are collecting all bagged and containerized debris on schedule service days.

Normal yard debris includes the following:

• Grass clippings and leaves placed in cans no larger than 32 gallons, or sealed in bags no more than 50lbs.
• Small vegetative debris, twigs, and branches

Do not place normal yard debris near storm-related debris.

Please continue to follow your normal garbage, recycling, and yard debris schedule and guidelines.