Superstorm Sandy -New Jersey Household Hazardous Waste Response Case Study

The purpose of this presentation is to present a case study of collection of household hazardous wastes from the rights-of-way of New Jersey neighborhood streets.  The project was unique in that the collection of household hazardous wastes was "live-packed" in box vans.  The time constraints presented by residents wanting to return to their homes and impending holidays complicated the project.  Every drum that was packed was counted and overseen by FEMA monitors.  Over 3200-55 gallon drums of household hazardous waste from flammable homemade wine to auto repair kits with organic peroxides were separated and packed in less than 30 days.  This project combined typical household hazardous waste collection, with storm response, FEMA oversight, interactions with debris removal contractors, and tight logistics to be a unique experience worth sharing.  The case study is valuable to anyone involved in pre-planning for natural disaster response or who may respond to such an event.