September 4, 2021
DALLAS – (Sept. 4, 2021) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reminds communities, households, and enterprise house owners affected by Hurricane Ida to take steps to make storm cleanup as protected and efficient as potential. Cleanup actions associated to returning to houses and companies after a disaster can pose vital well being and environmental challenges. Use warning to guarantee that each one waste supplies are eliminated and disposed of correctly, following native pointers.
Disasters can generate tons of particles, together with constructing rubble, bushes and crops, private property, and family hazardous wastes. How a neighborhood manages disaster particles will depend on the particles generated and the waste administration choices obtainable. EPA provides a number of sources and tips for managing particles throughout storm cleanup.
Maintain private security
Always put on correct security tools, corresponding to goggles, an N95 respirator masks, and gloves when dealing with particles. Be on the alert for leaking containers and reactive family chemical substances, corresponding to caustic drain cleaners or chlorine bleach. Clean up and discard chemical substances individually, even when you already know what they’re. Use warning when disturbing constructing supplies to forestall bodily damage or different well being results, as they might include hazardous supplies corresponding to asbestos that, when carried by the air, will be inhaled and trigger antagonistic well being results. If you watched asbestos-containing supplies could also be current, the supplies shouldn’t be disturbed.
Separate wastes by kind
Storm injury creates many sorts of family and constructing particles. Some of those embrace constructing supplies, corresponding to drywall, brick, and wooden; white items or home equipment, corresponding to fridges and washing machines; garments, furnishings, and different private objects; and family hazardous wastes, together with paint, cleaners, automotive fluids, batteries, and pesticides. Separating wastes is essential for communities to successfully handle the big quantity of particles following a storm. Please test along with your metropolis or native authorities for particular pointers on when and how one can separate waste. Learn extra about sorts of particles and how one can handle them right here: https://www.epa.gov/natural-disasters/dealing-debris-and-damaged-buildings#cautions
Be conscious of native sources
EPA has developed this interactive mapping software of 12 sorts of recyclers and landfills that handle disaster particles. This software offers data and areas of over 20,000 amenities able to managing totally different supplies which can be present in disaster particles. The software was created in EPA Region 5 in 2010 and has expanded to incorporate knowledge for all 50 states, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands. Learn extra about this software right here:
https://www.epa.gov/large-scale-residential-demolition/disaster-debris-recovery-tool
For extra data on how your neighborhood can plan for future disaster cleanups, see:
https://www.epa.gov/large-scale-residential-demolition/disaster-debris-planning
EPA continues to assist FEMA, state, native, and tribal companions in response to Hurricane Ida. EPA encourages affected communities to proceed staying alert for directions from native authorities. Additional details about EPA’s efforts will be discovered at https://response.epa.gov/hurricaneida.
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On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6
About EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central
Helpful Public Service Announcements about Emergencies and Disasters in English, Spanish and Vietnamese:
https://www.epa.gov/natural-disasters/public-service-announcements-about-emergencies-and-disasters
https://espanol.epa.gov/espanol/anuncios-de-servicio-publico-sobre-desastres-naturales
https://www.epa.gov/lep/bao#psas
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