Wilmington’s Post-Storm Clean-Up Continues With Special Citywide Tree Limb Collection Today Until Saturday

From the City of Wilmington:

August 11, 2020

The Department of Public Works’ Street Cleaning and Urban Forestry Divisions will team with Parks and Recreation to address oversized limbs

Wilmington continues to clean up this week after a devastating wind and rain storm swept through parts of the City last Friday. Mayor Purzycki today thanked residents for their clean-up efforts, which he said complemented the ongoing work of City Parks and Recreation, Public Works, L&I, Police and Fire, and Emergency Management employees who have been working non-stop since the weekend to clear debris from streets and parks.

To assist with the clean-up, a special Citywide tree limb collection program from the Department of Public Works is beginning today and will continue through Saturday. Here’s how the program works:

• Residents must first call the Public Works Call Center at (302) 576-3878 to request their tree limbs be collected.
• Residents should place larger limbs and tree debris in a neat pile at the curb no later than 7 a.m. for collection by the City.
• Smaller limbs placed in brown yard waste bags will be picked up tomorrow and every Wednesday without having to call the Public Works Call Center.
• Tree limbs will NOT be collected from rear alleyways.
• A City street sweeper will come by after the woodchipping process is completed to clear any debris that remains.

Mayor Purzycki said the City is assembling a recovery plan for Haynes Park which lost several trees and received other damage. The park remains closed to the public. He said plans are also underway to clean up fallen trees in area parks. He said the initial efforts were to make streets and parks safe before the larger, heavier trees are removed. The Mayor again thanked City resident and City government for working together during the post-storm clean-up.

Mayor Purzycki again thanked City residents and City government for working together during the post-storm clean-up. The Mayor also reminded residents that branches, tree limbs, and other yard waste are banned from Delaware’s landfills so it cannot be placed in trash containers or recycling bins. “It’s important to manage our waste streams properly and ensure that these materials are disposed of in an environmentally safe manner.”

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) provides resources to help Delawareans manage their yard waste in ways that are protective of human health and the environment. That information can be found online at de.gov/yardwaste or by calling DNREC’s Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances at 302-739-9403.

This press release was produced by the City of Wilmington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.