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Disaster Debris Recovery Tool

EPA has developed this interactive mapping tool of twelve types of recyclers and landfills that manage disaster debris. This tool provides information and locations of over 20,000 facilities capable of managing different materials which may be found in disaster debris. The tool was created in EPA Region 5 in 2010 and has expanded to include data for all 50 states, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

The tool can be used by disaster response, recovery and planning experts to advance the safe recovery, recycling and disposal of disaster debris. It is expanding coverage of states and territories to support sustainable disaster debris management. The national dataset and tool were developed in collaboration with staff from all ten EPA regions and headquarters to support sustainable materials management for disaster planning and emergency response.

Disaster Debris Recovery Tool Overview

Disaster Debris Recovery Tool Tutorial

Examples of state plans and guidance

The following Region 5 states have established debris management plans or guidance, many of which focus on flood-related disasters:

Illinois Disaster Recovery Plan (PDF) (4 pp, 13 K, About PDF) September 2011
Indiana Disaster Recovery Resources
Michigan Disaster Debris Management Plan (PDF)(209 pp, 3.4 MB, About PDF) April 2008
Michigan Local Disaster Debris Management Planning Handbook (PDF) (248pp, 2.9MB, About PDF) April 2008
Ohio Debris Management
Wisconsin - Coping with Cleanup
Minnesota Toolbox for local units of government recovering from a natural disaster
California Integrated Waste Management Disaster Plan
Florida Hurricane Debris Cleanup Information
- Florida Disaster Debris Management
Louisiana Disaster Debris Management

Federal Agency Resources

The following federal agencies have developed guidance, training, manuals or programs:

EPA Guidance about Planning for Natural Disaster Debris (150 pp, 6 MB, April 2019 EPA-F-19-003)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - Resources for Debris Removal and Demolition Operations (PDF) (260 pp, 15.2 MB K, About PDF) July 2007
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency - Disaster Assistance Programs

Tools & References

Training Resources

There are numerous training courses focused on debris management sponsored by FEMA and offered locally through state emergency management offices:

Safety

Resources for safety considerations during initial assessment, sampling, removal, staging, transportation, and recovery/disposal operations:

OSHA - Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program