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  1. Home
  2. Disaster Debris Mitigation and Planning
  3. Pre-Incident Material and Waste Management Planning
  4. Material and Waste Management Planning Activities

Pre-Incident All-Hazards Waste Management Plan Guidelines: Four-Step Waste Management Planning Process

EPA recommends that communities have a pre-incident waste management plan (may also be called a debris management plan) that addresses the management of materials and wastes generated by all hazards for which the community is at risk. These hazards may include different types of natural disasters, acts of terrorism involving chemical, biological, and radiological agents, and human and animal disease outbreaks. This document describes the recommended pre-incident waste management planning process to assist communities in preparing for a disaster’s material and waste management needs, regardless of the hazard.

This document describes the four steps of the waste management planning process.

  • Pre-incident All-hazards Waste Management Plan Guidelines: Four-step Waste Management Planning Process (pdf) (686.98 KB) .

Disaster Debris Mitigation and Planning

  • What is in Disaster Debris
    • List of Debris Streams
    • Material or Waste
    • Why It Matters
  • Mitigating Debris Before and After a Disaster
    • Resilience Strategies
    • Creating Disaster-Resilient Buildings
    • Mitigation and Resilience Resources
  • Pre-Incident Material and Waste Management Planning
    • Material and Waste Management Planning Activities
    • Planning Considerations for Materials and Wastes from Disasters
    • Management Options for Materials and Wastes from Disasters
    • Pre-Incident Planning is Not a Wasted Effort
  • Tools and Resources
    • All Hazards Waste Management Planning Tool
    • Disaster Debris Recovery Tool
    • Tools and Resources for Material and Waste Management for Disasters
    • Carcass Management During Avian Influenza Outbreaks
Contact Us About Disaster Debris Mitigation and Planning
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on May 8, 2025
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