Residents across the Bay Area still feeling the impacts of Hurricane Irma. Piles of trash and debris have piled up in numerous communities in Polk County.
After thousands of residents voiced concerns about their health and safety, Polk County opened a "Debris Line" for residents to call with questions regarding collection from Hurricane Irma.
The number for the Debris Hotline is 863-451-3357.
In the week following the storm Polk County administrators got more than six thousand calls from residents concerned about the issue.
Several Polk County communities are affected including South Lakeland, Davenport, Poinciana, Haines City and Lake Wales.
The county's waste department was simply unable to keep up with demand following the storm.
Polk County Fire Rescue posted this reminder to residents on their Facebook page:
"Residents are reminded that it will take several weeks for debris removal. This first pass, underway now, is for vegetation such as trees, limbs and leaves. This does not need to be cut to a specific size, but it does need to be kept off the roads. There will be two or more additional passes to clear remaining debris, such as construction and demolition debris, followed by household items.
Crowder/Gulf is picking up debris in all of Polk, except for City of Lakeland. The City of Lakeland is collecting and managing those efforts within their city limits with city resources."
