On-Going Debris Removal Mounts Up 

Release Date: October 22, 2005
Release Number: 1604-088

» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina

JACKSON, Miss. -- A key component of disaster recovery is debris removal. The mounting count of debris collected from Hurricane Katrina's aftermath has passed the 13 million cubic yard point. That's enough trash to fill more than 150 football stadium fields 50 feet high with debris.

As part of the Public Assistance program, debris removal is a critical step in the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) ongoing effort to assist local governments and their residents after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. FEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) are orchestrating and monitoring debris operations while ensuring that guidelines are followed for the debris removed from private property.

Debris removal is a high priority for disaster recovery officials. "It's a health and safety issue" said Nick Russo, FEMA's deputy federal coordinating officer in Mississippi. "The sooner we can move it out of the way, the sooner Mississippi can hasten its recovery process."

Thousands of people are involved in every phase of cleanup and disposal of mountains of debris. A multi-agency task force, formed early in the process, quickly estimated that the State faced the mind-boggling task of clearing 40 million cubic yards of the stuff after the storm. Debris is defined as trees and woody material, building wreckage, sand, mud, silt, gravel and other disaster-related material.

There are now approximately 200 temporary disposal sites, which take in debris from dusk to dawn from a constant parade of hundreds of debris laden-trucks. As many as 2000 people labor in the direct chores of debris pick-up, employed by contractors hired by the Corps of Engineers, and municipalities and county governments.

Debris officials estimate the average daily load of debris picked up across Mississippi is in excess of 300,000 cubic yards per day.

"Removal of debris following hurricanes is a massive task," said Robert Latham, Director of MEMA. The difficulty of this task is underscored by the scope of the operation which includes collection, pick-up, hauling, disposal at a temporary site, segregation, education, possible recycling, and final disposal.

FEMA's Public Assistance program provides funding to state and local governments for disaster-related emergency work, debris removal and repairs to, or replacement of, damaged infrastructure.

Last Modified: Monday, 24-Oct-2005 06:42:41