Hurricane Response Guide for Environmental Public Health Professionals
Food: 1. Assume that all foods in a disaster setting have been contaminated with water or debris. 2. Throw away all food that has come into contact with floodwaters or fire. Also dispose of all perishable food that has been above 40°F for more than 2 hours. 3. Educate the public on the importance of discarding unsafe food to prevent the spread of disease. 4. Encourage individuals to inspect food containers for damage, contamination, or expiration dates before consuming. Disposal Options Landfill When disposing of trash in a municipal landfill, follow established STLT and federal regulations. If local facilities are unavailable, consider these alternatives: 1. Collaborate with neighboring communities or counties to set up a transfer station with compactors. This allows materials to be compacted and transported to the compactor’s landfill. 2. Arrange to use a commercial landfill as an alternative disposal option. Incineration Burning or incineration can dispose of green waste, but it has significant environmental consequences. This method releases a large volume of greenhouse gases, primarily CO2, and negatively impacts air quality. Close coordination with the EPA and the STLT environmental agency is necessary. Additional air monitoring and assistance from local fire departments will typically be required when burning green waste. Recycle or Reclaim The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) mandates reusing HAZMAT whenever possible and encourages recycling to minimize disposal costs. Some wastes can be treated and disposed of through ground application or agricultural uses, such as mulching and composting green waste. Site Planning 1. Assess the need for facilities Estimate the types and quantities of debris to be handled. Evaluate the capacity of existing facilities to handle expected volumes and types of debris. 2. Establish criteria for evaluating potential sites Consider storage time, real estate costs, truck size, location, site operations, capacity, collection, security, signage, accessibility, traffic conditions, roadway conditions, haul length, and equipment needs. 3. Identify temporary storage sites Explore various options, including recycling facilities, landfills, transfer stations, vacant lots, corporation yards, parks, parking lots, rights-of-way, city/county-owned land, and private property. 4. Review emergency waiver of standards regulations The Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) can issue “emergency waiver of standards” to solid waste facilities operators, providing temporary relief from specific state minimum solid waste standards or permit conditions, and establishing locally approved temporary transfer or processing sites. The LEA may grant a waiver if the operator holds a valid permit; the waiver poses no threat to public health, safety, or the environment; and the operator implements diversion programs to maximize reuse, recycling, or composting of disaster-related waste. 5. Identify necessary permits or variances Determine the agencies responsible for issuing permits/variances and the application processing time. Utilize local authority to designate temporary storage areas and consider developing pre- approved waivers for these sites.
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