Lafayette County Sets April 20 Deadline for Final Storm Debris Pickup

Lafayette County is closing out its ice storm cleanup program with an absolute April 20 cutoff, giving property owners less than two weeks to stage fallen limbs and storm-related debris at the curb before crews make their final pass and the county's free collection service ends for good.

The stakes of missing that deadline are straightforward: any debris left behind after crews pass a given street will not be collected, and property owners bear full responsibility and cost for whatever remains. Private haulers must then be scheduled and paid out of pocket.

What gets picked up depends on how residents prepare their piles. Branches, limbs, and yard waste from the January storm must be sorted into a separate pile, away from any construction materials such as damaged fencing, siding, or shed panels. Mixed piles will not be collected, and county crews will be monitoring debris for compliance during the final pass. Also left behind: anything containing household garbage, paint cans, or waste unrelated to the ice storm. Furniture, contractor debris, garage cleanout materials, and routine yard waste do not qualify under the storm program. The deadline applies only to storm-generated debris; regular household garbage and large-item pickup through the county's solid waste department continue on their normal, uninterrupted schedules.

The final collection marks the close of a cleanup operation that has been running since the January 23-27 ice storm left more than 33,000 residents across Oxford and Lafayette County without power. Combined debris removal from the city and county surpassed 1 million cubic yards, with Lafayette County alone logging roughly 99,000 cubic yards collected during the first weeks of the effort using 49 trucks from its contractor, Looks Great Services of Columbia, Mississippi. The county also brought in Debris Tech as a monitoring contractor to ensure the operation met Federal Emergency Management Agency documentation requirements. Lafayette County is among 34 Mississippi counties approved for FEMA Public Assistance under all categories, meaning federal and state funds are expected to cover a substantial share of debris removal and infrastructure repair costs.

Cleanup along state highways is proceeding on a separate timeline. The Mississippi Department of Transportation has advertised debris removal projects for bid, with bids opening April 17 and work expected to begin April 28 in the district covering Lafayette and Panola counties. That program operates independently of the county's residential April 20 deadline.

Residents with questions about their pickup schedule, or who believe their street was missed during a previous pass, should contact the Lafayette County Solid Waste Department directly at (662) 236-2535 or by email at bwoods@lafayettecoms.com. The office is at 300 N. Lamar, Suite 103 in Oxford. Reaching out before April 20 is the only window to resolve any collection issues under the county program.