Emergency Plan In Place, Safety Hazards Caused By Garbage Not Picked Up By Trash Haulers

POLK COUNTY, FL — Polk County's emergency plan for waste collection began Monday, a Polk County news release said.

With the emergency plan implemented, recycling collection is now suspended in the FCC collection area only, according to the county.

As part of this plan, the county suspended the 72-hour bulk collection process and these items will be collected as part of regular garbage routes. The two-bulk item per week policy remains in effect. Yard waste collection service remains the same and should be placed at the curb on your regularly scheduled garbage day.

Recycling collection by FCC will resume Monday, April 4, on an every-other-week schedule until further notice. Details of that schedule will be communicated to customers prior to April 4. Earlier this month, the county reached an agreement with FCC, its contracted waste hauler, to implement an emergency plan for collection services. This temporary change is for customers only serviced by FCC who live in unincorporated areas west of US Highway 17. There are no changes for households serviced by ADS.

The Polk County emergency plan, which suspends recycling collection service temporarily, has been effective for other local governments across the country that has put service changes in place due to challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are unsure which hauler services your home, you may access the interactive map here and enter your home address.