Waste Management offers pre- and post-storm tips as hurricane season begins June 1

In order to prepare for hurricane season and enable its drivers to restart essential services as soon as a storm passes, Waste Management offers the following tips to its residential and business customers in Florida:

BEFORE THE STORM:

• Trim your vegetation now. You must stop all yard maintenance and tree trimming activities when a projected Florida landfall is announced. Avoid placing yard waste at the curb once a hurricane watch has been issued.

• Move all trash and recycling container to a safe, enclosed area to prevent them from being displaced by wind or storm surge.

• Secure, bundle and tie down all loose trash such as tree limbs, wood planks or building and roof tiles. Place these materials in a location where debris cannot become hazardous in high winds. Avoid placing bulk waste at the curb once a hurricane watch has been issued.

• WM will continue to collect household trash and recycling materials in the neighborhoods it serves according to regular schedules until sustainable winds reach 35 mph or local authorities instruct WM to suspend service due to the closure of landfills or other disposal sites.

AFTER THE STORM:

• Separate your regular household waste from any storm debris caused by high winds and rain. Storm debris including tree limbs, carpet, aluminum and wood fencing, and household appliances should be placed curbside in a separate pile.

• Separating normal household waste from storm debris will allow WM employees to collect your household trash safely and more quickly.

The separation is also necessary because other collection companies independent from WM may be authorized to collect your storm debris in accordance with arrangements made by local municipalities and/or your county.

• Place storm debris at the curb without blocking roads or drains, and away from trees, poles, mailboxes or other structures.

WM will restart curbside trash collection of normal household waste as soon as local authorities deem it safe for our trucks to be on the road and disposal sites are open and operational. Initial focus will be on streets that are passable. The company will expand its routes to additional areas as more streets become clear of debris and other impediments.

Once a storm strikes and is severe enough to warrant service updates, go to Waste Management Florida Storm for timely information about your service.

“Following a powerful tropical storm or hurricane, one of the most essential needs for a community to begin recovery is the reliable return of its most vital services,” said Dawn McCormick, WM Florida Director of Communications. “WM does everything we can to prepare before a storm so we can return to service and help our valued residential and business customers recover quickly and safely.”

More tips for hurricane preparedness are available on Ready.gov.

A PDF version of the WM storm preparation tips for the 2026 hurricane season is available here.