Lee County Solid Waste is encouraging residents to use the Labor Day weekend to prepare their properties for peak hurricane season.

Pruning trees and shrubs now can mitigate damage to your home or pool cage. Survey your property for any items that could become projectiles during a storm. Secure them or set them out for disposal in the coming weeks.

Yard waste or debris generated as a result of preparations must be prepared in accordance with county ordinance (for example, tied, bundled or put in containers) prior to setting out for collection.  Yard trimmings can be set out in waste cans, paper lawn and leaf bags, or tied with cotton string into bundles weighing 50 pounds or less. Palm fronds do not need to be tied if they are stacked neatly at the curb in piles weighing less than 50 pounds.

However, it is important to note that residents should not cut down trees and do not do any major yard work if a storm is approaching. Mass cutting produces a burden on the normal collection process.

Lee County encourages residents to stay hydrated and take steps to protect yourself from the sun when working in the yard. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends people working in the summer drink a cup of water every 20 minutes, wear a hat and light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing and take frequent breaks in a shaded area or indoors.

For more information on preparing your property for a storm, visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste/hurricane.