Managing waste after severe weather
Severe weather and tornados in April 2008 caused damage in multiple localities throughout Virginia. The storms resulted in large amounts of debris and other solid wastes. Individuals and businesses can help local, state and federal authorities handle cleanup efforts by following a few tips when managing their wastes.
- Plan for the disposal of wastes to the extent possible before taking action to clean up and remove debris.
- Source reduction and waste stream separation are not only strongly encouraged but also necessary in many cases. By disposing of damaged goods or materials and retaining or reusing undamaged goods, the disposal burden is reduced.
- If goods or materials cannot be reused, recycling should be considered.
- Goods or materials may also be sent to a permitted resource recovery facility. If a resource recovery facility is not convenient to your location, transporting the material to an incineration facility for energy recovery is preferred over landfilling.
- Additional information on handling woody debris is available on the DEQ website.
In some cases, it may be necessary to obtain solid and hazardous waste emergency permits.