Republic Services will be providing additional collection services beginning next week to help clear the debris left behind by the violent storm that hit Lafayette Parish on April 27.
The work will be accomplished through the existing waste pickup contract.
The storm caused numerous tree branches and entire trees to be downed. Dozens of trees were downed in Lafayette Parish. Public Works crews cleared 59 trees that were blocking public right of ways. Countless homes had yards with downed trees and branches.
Much of the increased volume of yard waste is larger, heavier branches that were snapped from mature trees by the strong winds experienced during the recent storm.
Republic Services will bring in additional out-of-town crews to help with executing the clean-up, and the company will be running three extra collection trucks to clear the storm debris. Because this was not a declared emergency, the extra pickup will be accomplished through an hourly basis, as called for in the existing contract.
Residents needing to place yard waste for collection will need to adhere to the requirements for pick up:
- Branches must be cut to lengths not exceeding six feet;
- No single piece of tree wood can exceed 50 pounds;
- Tree root-balls with large amounts of dirt will not be collected;
- Only tree and plant debris can be placed out for storm debris collection
Residents should place tree debris that meets these specifications in front of their homes, as close to the road as safely possible, while allowing three feet of clearance on all sides from obstructions such as mailboxes and utility poles.
If the resident hired a service to remove debris, the service company, not Republic Services, is obligated to carry away the yard waste.
