Managing Storm Debris from
HURRICANE RITA
September 29, 2005
2
Managing Storm Debris from
HURRICANE RITA
1.0 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2.0 Disaster Declarations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.0 Sorting and Stockpiling Debris Prior to Disposal or Burning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
4.0 Options for Burning Brush and Clean Lumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
4.1 Outdoor Burning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
4.2 Trench Burning (Air Curtain Incinerators) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Ash Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Record Keeping Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Federal Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.0 Options for Management of Segregated Debris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.1 Construction-Demolition Debris Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.2 Household Hazardous Waste Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5.3 Non-Household Hazardous Waste Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
5.4 Animal Carcass Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Attachment A - Options for Management of Segregated Storm Debris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Attachment B - TCEQ Contacts for Hurricane Rita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Attachment C - TCEQ Region Offices and Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Attachment D - Type I Landfills - Authorized as of September, 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Attachment E - Type I- AE Landfills - Authorized as of September. 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Attachment F - Type IV Landfills Authorized as of September, 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Attachment G - Type 1V-AE Landfills - Authorized as of September, 2005 . . . . . . . . . 16
Attachment H -Excerpt of TCEQ Rules Regarding Trench Burners (Air Curtain
Incinerators - (ACIs)) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 1
Managing Storm Debris from
HURRICANE RITA
1.0 Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide clear guidance on options for managing and disposing
debris from Hurricane Rita.
Large volumes of storm debris are generated following natural disasters such as hurricanes,
floods, and tornados. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has developed
the following guidance to assist in managing and disposing debris associated with the cleanup of
areas affected by these storms.
During cleanup and recovery efforts following a severe storm, large volumes of various types of
storm debris will need to be disposed or burned. Storm debris includes: Trees, brush, and other vegetative matter; Clean lumber (not including painted, stained or chemically treated wood); Construction-demolition waste (sheet rock, roof shingles, treated wood, plastics, etc.); Other municipal solid waste (including putrescible waste and special waste); and Hazardous waste
2.0 Disaster Declarations
Significant storms are often declared a disaster area either by the Governor of Texas or the
President of the United States. Among other considerations, the Declaration will be specific to
certain counties and allow those counties to obtain financial and technical assistance for
managing the storm debris.
In order to qualify for that assistance, refer to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
information available on the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov. Applicants who will be
requesting federal financial assistance from FEMA need to submit a project worksheet and
complete the "Emergency Debris Management Site Certification Form for Hurricane Rita.
3.0 Sorting and Stockpiling Debris Prior to Disposal or Burning
Various state and federal regulations apply to the disposal of specific types of debris. The TCEQ
recognizes that under the difficult conditions following a severe storm, full compliance with
these regulations may significantly delay the removal of storm debris from affected areas. With
this in mind, wastes should be sorted to the maximum extent possible and only vegetation and
clean wood waste types should be burned. Stockpiling waste prior to burning is covered by an
authorization to burn the waste. Options for disposal of segregated debris that should not be
burned are summarized in Attachment A and discussed in later sections of this document. 2
4.0 Options for Burning Brush and Clean Lumber
4.1 Outdoor Burning
The TCEQ can authorize any public or private entity, including county and municipal
governments or independent entities who have been contracted by county or local governments to
burn debris from a natural disaster outdoors as outlined in Title 30 Texas Administrative Code
�111.215 when no other practical alternative is available. Although the TCEQ authorizes open
burning, our preferred method of debris management is the use of Air Curtain Incinerators. Other
practical alternative are: mulching, chipping, shredding, or disposal at an authorized facility.
Additional information is available in the TCEQ's Regulatory Guidance (RG-422): Outdoor
Burning: A Guide to Local Governments.
What debris can be burned outdoors?

Brush, trees and other plant growth Clean lumber (not painted, stained or pressure treated with chemicals)

Do other general requirements exist?
The general requirements for allowable outdoor burning in 30 TAC �111.219 must be followed.
However, the TCEQ recognizes that there may be circumstances in which burning within the
provisions of 30 TAC �111.219 may not be practical. In these cases, the TCEQ regional office
(Attachment C) should be notified and requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
The case-by-case reviews must however, be consistent with the following:

Burning activity may be approved at permitted landfills within permitted boundaries
provided that this activity occurs on a portion of the site that has not been landfilled; Burning of tires, shingles, paints/solvents, plastics, insulated wire, batteries, appliances,
asbestos materials and aerosol or pressurized containers should be avoided and efforts to
segregate these materials must be exercised. The following types of materials can not be
included in any burn under any circumstances: compressed gas cylinders containing
hazardous materials such as propane, acetylene, chlorine or any other hazardous material
that may be injurious to public health and safety; Distance to neighbors and structures should be evaluated to prevent occurrence of
nuisance conditions or fire safety hazards; Burning should be authorized only during daylight hours; Debris should be separated into small piles, if possible; Materials to be burned should be reasonably dry to prevent excessive smoke; Burning animal carcasses should be conducted using a trench burner, if possible. If the burning activity causes nuisance conditions or a traffic hazard, the burning activity
must be immediately halted.
How do I get authorization to burn debris outdoors?
Notify the applicable TCEQ Regional Office listed in Attachment C at least 24 hours prior to
conducting burning, or as soon as practicable. Provide the regional office with the following
information: the general nature of the materials burned; 3 the location of the burn site; the name, address, and telephone number of the representative to contact concerning the
work; the anticipated duration of the burning event.
What is the TCEQ doing to expedite processing of outdoor burning requests?
Due to the extensive volume of storm debris in need of disposal, the TCEQ is providing
authorization to burn storm debris within the affected areas. Authorization will remain effective
while emergency conditions exist. The TCEQ is continuing to monitor the need for ongoing
outdoor burning. Please refer to the TCEQs website at
www.tceq.state.tx.us
for updates
regarding the authorization period.
The TCEQ has provided notification and approval letters to County Judges in Chambers,
Galveston, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange and Tyler counties. These letters
are considered necessary documentation for counties seeking reimbursement from the Federal
Emergency Management Association (FEMA) for disposal costs.
Authorization to burn may be revoked by the executive director at any time if the burning causes
nuisance conditions, is not conducted in accordance with the specified conditions, violates any
provision of an applicable permit, or causes a violation of any air quality standard.
4.2 Trench Burning (Air Curtain Incinerators)
Title 30 Texas Administrative Code �106.496, (Attachment H) authorizes the use of air curtain
incinerators (ACIs) in the disposal of debris during emergency clean up operations such as the
removal and disposal of debris from a hurricane.
What is an ACI?
An ACI is defined in 30 TAC �106.496(b)(1) as "An incinerator that operates by projecting a
curtain of air across an open chamber or pit in which combustion occurs. Incinerators of this
type can be constructed above or below g