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Disaster Debris
When disasters like floods or tornados hit a community, solid waste management is usually the last thing on anyone's mind. Natural and man-made disasters, however, can generate tons of debris, including building rubble, soil and sediments, green waste (e.g., trees and shrubs), personal property, ash, and charred wood. All of this waste material can place an additional burden on a community already struggling to cope.
The amount of debris generated from a disaster varies from situation to situation. The best advice for a community is to put a disaster debris management plan in place before an emergency happens. A disaster debris management plan can help a community identify options for collecting, recycling, and disposing of debris. Not only does a plan identify management options and sources for help, but it also can save valuable time and resources if it is needed.
Recycling Disaster Debris
How a community manages disaster debris depends on the debris generated and the waste management options available. Many communities are finding effective ways to salvage, reuse, and recycle all kinds of disaster debris. Soil, wood, and some building materials can be recycled or composted into useful commodities. For example:
- Green waste, such as trees and shrubs, can be "recycled" into valuable organic material, such as compost or mulch.
- Concrete and asphalt can be crushed and sold for use as sub-base in road building.
- Metal can be recycled and sold by scrap metal dealers.
- Brick can be sold for reuse or ground for use in landscaping applications.
- Dirt can be used as landfill cover or a soil amendment for farmers.
In the past, debris often was buried or burned near the community that experienced the disaster. This option is no longer acceptable, however, because of the side effects of smoke and fire from burning and potential water and soil contamination from burial. The typical methods of recycling and solid waste disposal in sanitary landfills often cannot be applied to disaster debris because of the large volume of waste and reluctance to overburden existing disposal capacity.
Disaster debris recycling is much less of a burden if a community already has a recycling program in place. It is much easier to expand existing recycling capacities and markets than to design and implement new recycling efforts in the wake of a disaster.
Benefits of Recycling Disaster Debris and Planning for Disaster Debris Management
The benefits of recycling disaster debris, and putting a recovery plan in place before a disaster occurs, include:
- Salvaging large amounts of materials for reuse.
- Cleaning up potentially hazardous materials that can harm human health and the environment.
- Helping the community's post-disaster healing process.
- Saving money by avoiding costly mistakes in disaster waste management.
- Speeding the community's recovery time by planning recycling, reuse, and disposal options.
More Disaster Debris Information
The Federal Emergency Management Agency Debris Management web site includes information on disaster preparation and prevention. Through the Web site, users can access a whole disaster debris planning program, which includes a Debris Management Guide and a Debris Management Training Course.
The Alameda County,
California, Disaster Waste Management Plan 
presents
a coordinated disaster debris management approach to help areas afflicted
with a disaster situation achieve maximum diversion from landfilling.
The California
Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) Disaster Information and Preparedness
Plan provides
guidance to assist in the expeditious recovery of areas affected by natural
disasters or emergencies while providing for the protection of public
health and safety. CIWMB will form partnerships with local jurisdictions
in the development of debris management plans to recycle, reuse, or otherwise
divert disaster debris from disposal.
The Volusia County, Florida,
2001 Disaster Preparedness Guide provides
information on preparing for, and recovering from, disaster situations.
The Louisiana
Office of Emergency Preparedness Sample Debris Management Plan outlines
a strategy to facilitate and coordinate the removal, collection, and disposal
of debris following a disaster.
EPA Links
EPA's Planning for Natural Disaster Debris (PDF) (94 pp, 1.9MB, About PDF) | Fact Sheet (PDF) (1 pg, 73K, About PDF) - This document is an update of “Planning for Disaster Debris” published by the EPA in 1995 (document EPA530-K-95-010). It's designed for local communities (including cities, counties, tribes, etc.) who are encouraged to create disaster debris management plans. Information is included on:
- Recommended components of a disaster debris management plan.
- Management options for various debris streams that might be found after a natural disaster.
- A collection of case studies that highlights how several communities prepared for and managed debris generated by recent natural disasters.
- Federal, state, and local resources to consult in planning for natural disasters.