Citizens have options for ice storm-damaged tree limb disposal

(From City of Joplin)

Due to the recent ice storm damage, residents have several options to remove any damaged tree limbs from their property.

1. Citizens are welcome to bring their tree limbs, branches, and live Christmas trees to the City’s tree limb processing site at 1702 North Schifferdecker Avenue. This site is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Saturday, January 4. It will be closed on New Year’s Day. The drop-off site is located six tenths of a mile north of Belle Center Road on the west side of Schifferdecker Avenue. This free drop off service is for Joplin residents only. Professional contractors will not be allowed to dump.

2. Residents can also move the damaged limbs to their curb for pick-up by the City of Joplin Street Department. This removal service for large ice-storm damaged tree limbs in residential areas begins January 6. Citizens are encouraged to place them by the curb by this date to ensure pick up. City staff cannot enter private property to get the limbs so it is important to have them at the curb. Please note City crews will not be picking up piles of small branches. To aid in an efficient clean-up of the city, residents are asked to cut the limbs to a maximum of eight (8) feet and place them at the curb. The City reminds residents to please keep tree debris piles separate from any leaf piles.

3. Joplin residents should also note that the City’s residential trash service through Republic Services allows yard waste removal on their regular trash pick-up day. Limbs must be cut to a maximum of four (4) feet and bundled with . Bundles shall be no heavier than 50 pounds. The diameter of each tree limb shall be no larger than four (4) inches.

Normally, Joplin residents and landlords on the City’s residential trash service may be bring yard waste, for a fee, to the Republic Services Transfer Station on Old Route 66, in Galena, Kansas. However due to the volume of damage from this storm, residents are asked to bring tree limbs to the City’s drop-off location.

The City’s leaf pick up program has been suspended until further notice.

For more information, call Mary Anne Phillips, City of Joplin Recycling Coordinator at 417-624-0820 Ext. 501, or Lynden Lawson, Assistant Public Works Director of Operations at 417-624-0820 Ext. 560, or the Public Works Center at 417-624-0820 Ext. 564.