Management of Flood Debris: A Case History from Michigan, USA

Post-disaster materials and environmental management were investigated for a 500-year flood that occurred in Michigan, USA. The flooding was initiated by record-breaking rainfall over May 19-20, 2020, and was exacerbated by a succession of dam breaches and failures, resulting in catastrophic inundation of and damage to surrounding urban and rural areas. Analysis of debris generation and waste management practices indicated: (i) large quantities and varieties of debris generation; (ii) high uncertainties in model predictions and field estimation of debris quantity, composition, and spatial distribution; (iii) potential contamination of the floodwaters and debris from chemical manufacturing and wastewater treatment facilities; (iv) waste disposal facility access issues due to road and bridge closures; and (v) very limited public information regarding waste acceptance, capacity, and throughput for available landfills and reuse/recycling facilities. Improvements are required in pre-disaster preparedness; data collection, analysis, and modeling predictions; assessment of waste management infrastructure for post-disaster settings; and availability of sustainable alternatives for post-disaster waste management.