Skip to main content

US - English

Schedule & ETAMake a Payment Find a Facility
WM logo
SupportSupport
WM logo
  1. Support

    /

  2. Service & Scheduling

    /

  3. How to manage waste before and after a hurricane or storm

How to manage waste before and after a hurricane or storm

Contents

  • Before the Storm: Prepare Safely
  • After the Storm: Dispose of Waste Safely
  • Staying Informed

Related Articles

  • How to receive alerts and prepare for severe weather
In this article

Learn how to stay prepared and manage your waste before and after a storm.

Want support information for your location?
Add Address

As hurricane season approaches, it's essential to be informed and ready. WM is committed to supporting your community with safe, timely, and efficient waste collection services before and after a storm. Here’s how you can help ensure a smooth recovery process.

Before the Storm: Prepare Safely

  1. Stay Informed

    • Sign up for email or text alerts to receive the latest updates on your account and collection schedule. Click here and enroll today.

  2. Continue Regular Collection

    • WM will maintain regular service until sustained winds reach 35 mph or local authorities suspend operations due to safety concerns or landfill closures.

  3. Secure Your Property

    • Pause yard work and hold your waste

    • Secure containers

    • Tie down loose items

After the Storm: Dispose of Waste Safely

Separate waste types to ensure efficient and safe collection, separate your waste into the following categories:

  1. Regular household waste: food waste, recyclables and non-storm-related items. These will be collected as soon as it is safe to resume service.

  2. Storm debris: tree limbs, damaged fencing, soiled carpeting, appliances and other storm-related materials. Place these in separate piles at the curb.

Image

Separating waste properly will allow us to collect household garbage more quickly and safely and help prevent odors and other safety hazards from impacting your surrounding area. Separation is also necessary to allow other firms to collect storm debris in accordance with arrangements made by local municipalities, counties or FEMA.

WM will resume pickups as soon as local authorities confirm it’s safe for trucks to operate, starting with accessible areas and expanding service as more streets are cleared of obstacles.

Staying Informed

Visit Pickup Schedule & ETA to get the most recent information on storm recovery in your area. We appreciate your partnership and patience as we restore your service after a storm.

Was This Information Helpful?

Information in this article may be inapplicable to customers who receive service pursuant to a WM agreement with a municipality, association or other entity, or where applicable law requires differing terms of service.

Still need help?

Tell us how you want to connect and we'll put you in touch with an agent.

Related Articles

How to receive alerts and prepare for severe weather

Read article
Waste Management (WM) logo.

Products & Services

Residential Garbage & Recycling Pickup

Commercial Trash & Recycling Service

Roll-Off Dumpster Rentals

Bulk Pickup

Construction Waste Disposal

Bagster® - Dumpster in a Bag

eWaste

National Accounts

Moving In?

Customer Support

Pay My Bill

Billing & Invoice Help

Manage My Account

Log into MyWM

Customer Support

Request Extra Pickup

Report Missed Pickup

WM.com Security

Quick Info

Recycling 101

Our Service Areas

Find a Facility

10 Yard Dumpster

20 Yard Dumpster

30 Yard Dumpster

Holiday Schedule

Our Company

Who We Are

Media Room

WM Phoenix Open

Sustainability Report

Work With Us

Careers

Investors

Suppliers

Acquisitions & Divestitures

Former Employee HR Support

© 2026 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC.

California Privacy Notice

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Service Terms & Conditions

Disputes/Arbitration

Accessibility

Sitemap

© 2026 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC.

California Privacy Notice

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Service Terms & Conditions

Disputes/Arbitration

Accessibility

Sitemap

© 2026 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC.

California Privacy Notice

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Service Terms & Conditions

Disputes/Arbitration

Accessibility

Sitemap