Alabama Tornado Debris Response Actions - Haz Waste Segregation

    On April 27, 2011, 27 tornados devastated a number of communities in Alabama leaving destroyed homes and businesses located all over northern and east-central sections of the state.  As the initial cleanup began, debris found on lots was pushed and piled along the right-of-way (ROW) of the streets at the various locations in the State.  These piles contained household debris in various levels but was made up of much of the following materials: limb and tree waste; building materials (lumber, drywall, concrete); furniture; white goods (refrigerators, washing machines, dryers); electrical waste (TVs, fans, radios); household hazardous waste (HHW) (cleaners, gasoline, kerosene, propane); and asbestos- containing building materials. 

  Bhate Joint Venture (BJV) was tasked with providing two major services for the debris removal contract: 1. Providing the environmental and safety component for the debris piles segregation; and 2. Providing the crews for the segregation of the waste materials along the public ROW.   Field managers were responsible for the identification of suspect waste materials, safety of the crew, and IH sampling as part of the BJV safety plan.  Crews worked 10-hour per day shifts and 7 days per week for almost three months.  Crews moved around the areas where segregation was occurring making notations on area maps once streets were cleared.  

  This presentation will discuss the EH&S management systems that had to be set in place to launch 20 crews within 36 hours and discuss the successes and Lessons Learned during such an important community response.