This fact sheet is intended to assist public officials in making decisions about debris management. There are several key considerations in the decision process. They are:

• Need for rapid removal
• Reimbursement by the Federal Government
• Protection of the public health and environment
• Future liability

Each community should set up one or more staging areas where citizens or cleanup crews can take debris. Whenever feasible the debris should be sorted into five (5) separate piles. Staging areas must be located on publicly owned property or arrangements must be made with private landowners for use of the staging area to qualify for federal assistance. You may want to consider labeling the piles to prevent confusion as volunteer cleanup crews begin to sort through the debris. The five piles should consist of:

1. Limbs
2. Cars and Appliances
3. Construction Waste
4. Rock and Brick
5. Chemicals (Chemicals should not be piled, but stored neatly and segregated)
      Examples:

      Explosives (ammunition, black powder, military ordinance, fireworks, etc.)
        Fuel containers or tanks (metal or plastic)
        Pressurized gas cylinders
        Containers of chemicals such as solvents, paint thinners, etc.
        Pesticides
        Swimming pool chemicals--particularly chlorine
        Automobile and other large batteries
        Paint containers

In an effort to assist with debris management, the DEQ has compiled a list of all known options. Based on economic and environmental reasoning, the following options are listed in order of preference:

1. Contract with the Corps of Engineers
2. Contract with a private contractor
3. Emergency disposal sites for burying and/or burning

FEMA has contracted with the Corps of Engineers to handle all debris through separation, collection and disposal. The Corps plans to collect the waste from the right of ways or staging areas selected by the municipalities. If you contract with the Corps of Engineers to dispose of your waste, the disposal will comply with all environmental regulations and will qualify for 100% funding through FEMA.

Some communities may wish to contract with a private contractor instead of the Corps to remove their storm debris. If you decide to use this option, you should be aware that your federal reimbursement may be jeopardized if you fail to comply with environmental requirements.

When other options are not available, the DEQ can assist communities in establishing emergency disposal sites for storm debris. Emergency disposal could include: (1) burning the waste; (2) burying the waste; or (3) a combination of the two. Below are listed factors to assist public officials in site selection. These factors are intended to minimize the threat of harm to the public health and environment and to minimize future liability.

Emergency Burial Sites:

• Cannot be located within 1/4 mile of a private or public water supply (surface or ground).

• Cannot be located within a 100-year flood plain or any federally designated wetland. (The flood plain map used for locating the site shall be an original Flood Insurance Rate Map prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a copy of the Flood Prone Area Map prepared by the United States Geological Survey or an equivalent constructed map that depicts the limits and elevations of any one-hundred (100) year flood plain on or adjacent to the proposed site.)

• If the site will receive any putrescible waste that may attract birds, it cannot be located within 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) of any airport runway used only by piston-engine aircraft, or within 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) of any airport runway used by turbojet aircraft, except as may be approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

• Cannot accept hazardous waste, radioactive waste, regulated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) waste or regulated infectious wastes. Said waste must be disposed of in a facility specifically permitted to accept such wastes.

• Must be properly closed and covered with three (3) feet of soil within 45 days.

• Additional federal criteria must also be met in selecting these sites in order to qualify for FEMA reimbursement. (Consult FEMA for assistance with these criteria.)

NOTE: Burying solid waste in an unlined pit may present a threat to the public health and environment and could become an unintended future liability for the community and the landowner.

Emergency Burning:

Burning any combustible material results in emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and air toxics. The EPA will monitor all burn sites. If the EPA detects hazardous emissions, they must require that all burning at that site cease. If a community decides to burn their debris, the guidelines listed below should be followed in order to minimize the threat of harm to the public health and environment:

• Situate the burn location as far as possible from area residences. (A minimum of one-half mile is strongly recommended.
• Ensure there are no petroleum pipelines on or near the burn site to avoid explosion hazards.
• Follow recommended sorting procedures to eliminate items that should not be burned. Asbestos, oils, PVC pipe, fertilizer, rubber and tires should never be burned.
• Minimize the amount of dirt and other non-combustible materials to achieve the most efficient burn.
• Have someone on site at all times along with fire fighting equipment.
• Control the burning so that the smoke does not create a traffic hazard.
• Notify area residents if open burning is to occur.
• Additional federal criteria must also be met in selecting and operating these sites in order to qualify for FEMA reimbursement. (Consult FEMA for assistance with these criteria.)

Open Pit Incinerators (Air Curtain Destructors)*

If burning is the selected option, open pit incinerators are the best choice available due to their higher combustion efficiency. These incinerators burn at high temperatures and are effective in reducing debris waste. Other areas of the country that have used this manner of burning have combined it with the use of grinders. Grinders help to remove incombustible materials and reduce the size of combustible materials providing a better, more uniform fuel for the incinerators.

Open Burning*

Burning of waste piles is the least efficient method of burning. Open burning produces more air pollution than the open pit incinerators. In the past, some disaster areas have had to discontinue open burning due to public outcry. In addition, due to incomplete combustion, there is more residual waste and a greater amount of particulate emissions.

* In remote areas, the burning of trees and limbs may be the best option for disposal.