BAY COUNTY, Fla. — October 15, 2026 — Bay County is expanding storm recovery assistance following Hurricane Isaias, announcing a new roadside debris collection program for certain unincorporated areas and extending free residential waste disposal at the Steelfield Landfill through October 25.
The new roadside program begins Monday, October 26, while the county’s expanded Waste Amnesty program remains available to residents throughout Bay County.
Bay County crews will make a one-time collection pass for unbagged vegetative storm debris in designated hard-hit areas of unincorporated Bay County.
The eligible area includes unincorporated Panama City Beach and extends north along State Road 79 to Steelfield Road.
Residents in the designated collection area must place eligible debris near the roadside no later than Monday, October 26.
Accepted roadside materials include:
Fallen trees and tree limbs
Branches and other storm-related vegetative debris
Unbagged yard debris
Household garbage, furniture, appliances, construction materials, bagged vegetation and other nonvegetative debris will not be collected.
Collection may take several weeks. Crews will make only one pass through each eligible area and will not return after completing collection.
Residents should keep debris clear of roadways, sidewalks, drainage structures and utility access points.
Private roads, private neighborhoods, HOA communities and debris placed roadside by hired contractors are excluded from this collection program because of federal reimbursement eligibility restrictions.
Residents within Panama City Beach city limits should follow the city’s separate storm debris collection updates.
All Bay County residents can continue disposing of storm debris and other accepted household waste at no charge through Sunday, October 25, under the county’s extended Waste Amnesty program.
Steelfield Landfill
? 11411 Landfill Road, West Bay, off State Road 79
? 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Accepted materials include fallen trees, limbs, yard debris, furniture, appliances, construction debris, household garbage, household hazardous waste and tires, with a limit of 25 tires per vehicle.
Proof of Bay County residency is required.
Commercial customers and loads arriving in commercial vehicles or trailers are not eligible for waived disposal fees.
Gas cylinders, explosives, ammunition and flares are not accepted.
Residents who are elderly, have physical limitations or cannot safely remove storm debris from their properties may request assistance through Rebuild Bay.
Residents can submit a cleanup assistance request using the online form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8BttUXnsEjtwReNdxUUiyWvC4813p11v2iPhcRTMli4VNng/viewform
Requests will help coordinate available cleanup assistance for residents in need.
Bay County officials say the collection program will use county employees and equipment rather than outside debris removal contractors to help control costs.
The county must initially pay for the work and seek reimbursement afterward. Federal reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Residents with questions about collection boundaries, eligible debris, landfill disposal or storm recovery assistance can contact:
Bay County Citizens Information Center: 850-248-6090
For official updates and the designated roadside collection map, visit:
https://www.baycountyfl.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/326
Source: Bay County Government, October 14, 2026.
WKGC Panama City — Your Community Connection.
The post Bay County Expands Storm Debris Cleanup appeared first on 90.7 WKGC Public Media.
