Saturday, November 10, 2012

Storm Debris Removal Tips

The following tips are provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to help residents impacted by Sandy manage their trash and debris:

1. Storm-affected residents should take special care to document storm damages before disposing damaged personal property,including taking pictures and making a list of damaged or lost items.If possible, make sure to save receipts for valuable items.

2. Use caution with wet carpeting, upholstery and other porous items. Growth of molds on these items happens quickly may be a health risk. For more information on protecting yourself from mold, go to http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/protect.asp

3. If your property did not sustain damage in the storm, dispose of larger, bulky non-food items at a later time and delay any major household cleanups such as backyard cleanup, tree pruning or disposal of old furniture or any other projects that will generate a large amount of waste.

Place food waste, disposable diapers and other wet waste into double plastic bags for better storage if collection is delayed. Add a capful of ammonia to reduce odors that could attract animals and other vermin. Secure the bags tightly and store in a cool place.

If possible, separate and store recyclable materials for disposal at a later time. Store non-recyclable paper, containers, packaging and other dry waste indoors and away from sources of combustion.

If practical, remove TVs and computer monitors and contact your local recycling coordinator for details on how this material, known as e-waste, can be recycled.

A list of solid waste facilities and operating hours as well as various DEP actions and guidance documents related to debris management may be found at: www.nj.gov/dep/special/hurricane-sandy/debris.htm

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