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Emergency

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  2. Large-Scale Residential Demolition

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.

  • Web map (tools & downloadable data) 
  • National data layer (feature service) for GIS

How do I use the Disaster Debris Recovery Tool?

  • View the slides and listen to a recording about the national tool held on June 18, 2020.
  • View the training about the R5 tool from Dec. 18, 2018.

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: 

    • Indiana Disaster Recovery Resources
    • Michigan Division of Disaster Preparedness
    • Ohio Debris Management Planning Toolbox
    • Ohio Sample County Debris Plan
    • Wisconsin Cleaning up Storm Debris
    • Minnesota Toolbox for local units of government recovering from a natural disaster
    • Minnesota Debris Management Plan Guidebook
    • California Integrated Waste Management Disaster Plan
    • Florida Hurricane Debris Cleanup Information

    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

    Tools & References

    • EPA: Incident Waste Decision Support Tool (I-WASTE DST)
    • Dealing with Debris and Damaged Buildings
    • FEMA - HAZUS damage & loss estimation tool

    Training Resources

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

    • FEMA Emergency Management Institute
    • IS-632 - Intro to Debris Operations in FEMA's Public Assistance Program 40

    Safety

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

    • OSHA - Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training Program

    Large-Scale Residential Demolition

    • Large-Scale Residential Demolition Home
    • Pre-Demolition Planning
      • Community Involvement and Demolition
      • Pre-Demolition Inspections
      • State and Local Programs
      • Selection of Contractors
    • Harmful Materials and Residential Demolition
      • Asbestos-Containing Materials and Demolition
      • Open Burning
      • Stormwater and Dust
      • Disaster Debris Planning
    • Reuse and Recycling Opportunities
      • Disaster Debris Recovery Tool
      • Residential Demolition Bid Specification Development Tool
      • Deconstruction Rapid Assessment Tool
    • Compliance Assistance Tools
    • Requirements and Good Practices
    Contact Us About Large-Scale Residential Demolition or the Disaster Debris Recovery Tool
    Contact Us About Large-Scale Residential Demolition or the Disaster Debris Recovery Tool to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
    Last updated on December 6, 2024
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