Storm cleanup after a Maryland thunderstorm: hauling downed limbs
Stay clear of any downed wire and call 911 and BGE (1-877-778-2222) first. Then cut limbs to length and haul them to a county yard-waste site. In Howard County, Alpha Ridge's wood waste area takes brush free for residents up to 2 tons a year, but trailer and rental loads cross the scale as commercial at $40 a ton.
Key takeaways
- Downed line: leave the area, call 911, then BGE at 1-877-778-2222.
- Howard curbside yard trim runs April to mid-January, no plastic bags.
- Brush weighs about 127 lb/yd³; a 6x12 dump bed holds about 4.44 yd³ (about 560 lb).
- Alpha Ridge commercial yard trim: $40/ton, plus a 2.45% card fee.
- No county landfill in our area opens on Sunday.
What should I do before I touch storm debris?
Assume every wire is live, stay away, and report it before you start cleaning up.
- Downed power line: leave the area and call 911. BGE customers can also report it at 1-877-778-2222 or by texting OUT to 69243.
- Tree blocking a road: call 911.
- Limb hanging in a wire or a tree: leave it. That's a utility or arborist job, not a rental-trailer job.
- Tree on the house: call your insurer before you cut, and take photos first.
What's left after that, limbs on the lawn, a split trunk across the driveway, branches over the fence, is the part a trailer makes fast. Storm cleanup in Central Maryland mostly runs June through September, when thunderstorms hit.
Can curbside pickup handle it?
For a few bundles, yes. For a yard full of limbs, it'll take weeks.
Howard County collects yard trim weekly from April through mid-January for homes that pay the trash fee. Put it in open-top reusable containers or paper bags; plastic bags aren't accepted. Curbside is built for routine trimming, not a whole fallen oak.
If you'd otherwise be setting out bundles for a month, one trailer trip clears it in an afternoon. A 6x12 dump trailer is our pick for limbs: low sides make it easy to throw branches in, and brush is light, so you'll run out of space long before weight.
Rent the 6x12 10K Dump
$119/day · $199 weekend · $449 week. Total with tax shown before you book.
See prices and bookHow much will fit in a 6x12 or 7x14?
A 6x12 holds about 4.44 cubic yards level, roughly 560 lb of loose brush. A 7x14 holds about 7.17 cubic yards, roughly 910 lb.
| Trailer | Level volume | Loose brush at 127 lb/yd³ | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6x12 dump | 4.44 yd³ | About 560 lb | 6,800 lb |
| 7x14 dump | 7.17 yd³ | About 910 lb | 9,820 lb |
Those figures are for loose brush. Storm debris is rarely just brush. Trunk sections and big limbs are solid green wood and weigh far more per yard, so a load with logs can be several times heavier. Brush can also be packed and stomped down, which raises the weight too. Use the load calculator if you're mixing logs and branches.
Where do I take storm limbs?
Your county's yard-waste or wood-waste area, which weighs rental-trailer loads and charges by the ton.
| County | Site | Trailer load rule |
|---|---|---|
| Howard | Alpha Ridge Wood Waste Area, 2350 Marriottsville Rd | Trailers and rentals are treated as commercial and must cross the scale. Clean wood and yard trim: $40/ton commercial; free for residents up to 2 tons per fiscal year in qualifying vehicles. Mon to Sat; wood waste area 8am to 3:30pm for commercial. |
| Anne Arundel | Millersville Landfill, 389 Burns Crossing Rd, Severn | Recycling centers don't accept rental or double-axle trailers. At the landfill, rental and double-axle trailers pay $100/ton; stumps $200/ton. Mon to Sat 8am to 4pm. |
| Carroll | Northern Landfill | Refuses stumps. Call for yard-waste rules. |
Landfill fees, hours and rules are set by each county or site and can change without notice. We don't control them; call the site before you go.
Example: a 6x12 of loose brush at about 560 lb is 0.28 ton. At Alpha Ridge's $40/ton commercial rate that's about $11.28, or about $11.56 with the 2.45% card fee. More on stumps and logs in where to take brush, logs and stumps in Howard County.
How do I load limbs so they dump clean?
Cut everything shorter than the bed, lay butts toward the front, and keep branches from hooking over the sides.
- Cut limbs to under 12 feet for the 6x12 and under 14 feet for the 7x14. Shorter is better; long limbs bridge across the bed and won't slide out.
- Put heavy pieces and trunk rounds in first, low and toward the front of the bed, over or just ahead of the axles.
- Lay branches butt-end forward, all the same direction, so they slide out together when you dump.
- Don't pile brush above the sides. Tarp the load; loose leaves and twigs blow out on Route 32 like confetti.
- Keep stumps, dirt and root balls separate. Many sites price or refuse them differently.
Towing a loaded dump trailer for the first time? Read how to tow a dump trailer safely. Your vehicle's manufacturer ratings and manual always win.
Trunk sections deserve their own plan. Cut rounds to a size two people can lift safely, and roll them up a plank rather than dead-lifting into the bed. Keep stumps and root balls out of the brush load: Anne Arundel prices stumps at $200 a ton, double its rental-trailer rate, and Carroll's Northern Landfill refuses stumps. If a stump came up with the tree, ask the site before you load it.
What will a storm-cleanup day cost?
A 6x12 for a day is $119 ($126.14 with tax); a weekend is $199 ($210.94).
| 6x12 dump | Base | With 6% MD tax |
|---|---|---|
| Day | $119 | $126.14 |
| Weekend (any 2–3 days) | $199 | $210.94 |
Add the scale ticket for each trip. Storms tend to hit on weekends, and no county landfill here opens on Sunday, so a weekend rental lets you cut Saturday, load Sunday and dump Monday morning, all on the 3-day weekend rate. Delivery is $75 each way in Howard ($79.50 with tax) and $125 each way ($132.50 with tax) in Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Carroll counties and the City of Laurel.
Questions
Will the county come pick up storm debris?
After big events, counties sometimes open extra drop-off sites or run special pickups. Check the county's website and news releases after the storm.
Can I burn storm limbs instead?
Open burning rules vary by county and season. Check with your county fire marshal before you light anything.
Can I chip it myself?
Yes, and wood chips make good mulch. A trailer still helps for the trunk sections the chipper can't take.
Sources
- Patch: Report fallen tree limbs, downed power lines (BGE contacts)
- Howard County: Yard trim collection
- Howard County: Alpha Ridge Landfill (hours, trailers as commercial)
- Howard County: Alpha Ridge user fees, effective July 1, 2026
- Howard County: Commercial landfill customers (2.45% card fee)
- Anne Arundel County: Landfill and curbside collection fees
- Anne Arundel County: Recycling centers general information