RALEIGH -- The N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance (DPPEA) and other DENR agencies are providing technical assistance to local governments to help them divert disaster debris from disposal to more beneficial uses.

"Working with field staff from the Division of Waste Management we will be available to help communities try to find alternatives to disposal, such as boiler fuel markets for wood waste and recycling," said Scott Mouw with DPPEA. "Most of these potential alternatives are now listed in our on-line recycling markets directory, but we can help address more specific situations as well."

The DPPEA has established lists of recycling services and markets for disaster debris in the Directory of Markets for Recyclable Materials. The most current information is available on the agency’s fully searchable web site: http://www.p2pays.org/dmrm/.

The agency is offering the following types of advice:

• Vegetative materials, such as trees, stumps, brush, and leaf and yard waste, make up the largest portion of the debris produced during tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters. Vegetative debris can be collected, stockpiled, and processed to the specifications of a mulch or boiler fuel product. Although some local governments have purchased wood-processing equipment, others find it more cost effective to contract out the services.
• Large amounts of aggregate debris, such as asphalt pavement and concrete, may result from the destruction of roadways during disasters. These materials can be collected, stockpiled and processed to the specifications for road base aggregate or solid fill material.
• Material re-use centers, such as Habitat for Humanity in Raleigh accept used building materials such as lumber, windows, doors and appliances. Source separated, clean, quality items may be salvaged this way
• The practice of dismantling houses and re-using the resulting building materials is currently taking place in North Carolina. A pilot project is being conducted with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deconstruct homes within flood plains to avoid future destruction.

DENR’s Division of Waste Management is providing local governments with technical assistance for siting and permitting temporary disaster debris staging/storage areas. In addition, the Division of Air Quality is making sure they are familiar with the state’s open burning regulations.

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