State Offers Guidance on Handling and Disposal of Storm Debris
Ohio EPA and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency are working with local officials to guide communities in safe handling and disposal of debris and wastes so that cleanup from recent flooding can be completed as safely and efficiently as possible.
County emergency management agencies have instructions on clearing and staging debris for disposal. Most waste can be taken to a licensed municipal solid waste landfill. Tree limbs and other vegetation may be able to be disposed at compost facilities or chipped and used as mulch.
Some waste, when separated, may qualify as construction and demolition debris (C&DD) and can be disposed in a licensed municipal solid waste landfill or a licensed C&DD landfill. Examples of construction and demolition debris are brick, stone, mortar, asphalt, lumber, wallboard, glass, roofing, metal, piping, fixtures, electrical wiring, heating equipment, insulation, carpeting, railroad ties, utility poles and mobile homes.
For guidance and contact information, local government officials may refer to the Debris Fact Sheet for Local Officials.
It is generally illegal to burn debris. Debris from homes and other buildings may contain a number of hazardous materials including asbestos, plastics and other petroleum-based products and chemically treated woods and fibers. When burned, these materials emit toxic fumes that can be significant public health hazards.
Residents who live in a city or village cannot burn any type of waste onsite. Residential waste – including vegetative matter and woody material – may be burned in more rural areas as long as the burning is conducted more than 1,000 feet away from the nearest residence. These unrestricted areas are more than 1,000 feet outside a city of 1,000-10,000 people or more than one mile outside a city of more than 10,000 people.
Demolition and recovery efforts also may result in exposures to asbestos. Any building may contain asbestos. Businesses and public buildings being demolished are subject to demolition notification requirements. To protect public health, it is important for businesses and public entities to comply with regulatory requirements related to demolition of buildings and the transport and disposal of asbestos-containing material. Ohio EPA's Understanding the Asbestos Notification Requirements for Facility Demolition and Renovation Activities fact sheet explains demolition notification and asbestos requirements.
For more information about debris management, contact the local emergency management agency or an Ohio EPA district office.
To report releases of petroleum or hazardous materials, call Ohio EPA’s emergency spill hotline at 1-800-282-9378.
Additional Resources
The following links provide behavioral healthcare links to emergency and disaster services materials and information. It is intended as a convenient resource to identify local emergency management agencies, suggestions for behavioral health disaster plans, and the role of behavioral health in disasters and emergencies from the perspectives of adults, children, adolescents, parents, teachers and healthcare providers. You will find references for education and communications materials that can be deployed in the event of a disaster/emergency event.