Debris recovery occurs throughout the disaster relief process, but may be especially critical during the early phases, as clearing out debris rapidly aids in the recovery process, facilitates new construction, and prevents health hazards. As Singh (2015) points out, when debris is permitted to accumulate unfettered, poisonous substances like asbestos may seep into the environment leading to long-term health issues among the population. Similarly, debris provides a "breeding ground for rodents, insects, and microorganisms," (Singh, 2015, p. 1). However, the debris collection and processing procedure is complicated in disaster areas, especially those that are hard hit like Haiti. Between 20 and 60 million tons of debris accumulated in Haiti during the 2010 earthquake there (Karunasena, Amaratunga & Haigh, 2012). Haiti is far from being a global role model in disaster management. Poverty, poor governance, poor infrastructure, rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, and civil strife are a few of the hindrances to debris collection (Karunasena, Amaratunga & Haigh, 2012).
Collapsed buildings and their contents form the bulk of post-disaster debris (Singh, 2015). Debris is "unavoidable," in a disaster scenario but should not be taken lightly because of this (Karunasena, Amaratunga & Haigh, 2012). Moreover, debris is generally "mixed," comprised of soil or sediment, building rubble, personal effects of people, vegetation and organic matter, hazardous material, and even human or animal waste, making it fall outside of the province of...
457). Quantities of debris can be huge and overwhelming for disaster relief crews. Before moving debris, it is necessary to ascertain waste disposal resources, including availability of landfill space and special requirements for debris identified as being hazardous (Karunasena, Amaratunga & Haigh, 2012).
As with all phases of disaster relief, debris management occurs in stages. The first focuses on removing debris from key access and transport routes, in order to prevent impedances to rescue and recovery efforts. The focus of debris removal is generally on residential and commercial areas at this stage. Next, a more long-term focus is developed, during which site-specific plans related to minimizing health and environmental hazards become clarified. When debris has been identified as hazardous, disposal methods narrow. Landfills may not be available to accept hazardous waste, and alternative methods need to be assessed. Air quality, water quality, and other factors must be taken into account as well, as debris frequently contaminates these vital resources. Establishing waste recycling facilities in disaster zones may be an effective means of addressing proper debris management, especially when hazardous materials have been identified. Yet even when the debris consists of innocuous waste materials, recycling can prove highly effective at lowering costs and improving the efficiency of recovery and rebuilding efforts. For example, Singh (2015) points…
