Coping with the Debris on the Gulf Coast

by Michael R. Taylor, CAE
Created: September 18, 2006

Waste management along the Gulf Coast moves forward.

It wasn't always easy for DEMCO, however. "It was really tough working in Mississippi right after the hurricane. It was difficult getting housing for our people and getting everyone fed," Pierce explains. "It has gotten a lot better in recent months."

Other NDA member firms doing work in the Gulf States area include D.H. Griffin of Texas, Inc., D.H. Griffin Wrecking, Inc. and Louisiana Chemical Dismantling Co. Inc.

According to Congressional reports, debris removal operations associated with the hurricane are essentially complete in Alabama and are nearing completion in Mississippi. However, debris removal continues to be an ongoing issue in Louisiana.

Michael R. Taylor, CAE, is executive director of the National Demolition Association, a non-profit trade organization representing nearly 1,000 U.S. and Canadian companies and many international firms involved in the demolition process. To learn more, visit www.demolitionassociation.com or call (800) 541-2412.

Studying Demolition Waste

The topic of demolition waste of all types in all geographic regions is a subject currently under study by the NDA. Gershman, Brickner & Bratton (GBB), Inc., a national solid waste management consulting firm, recently completed a detailed evaluation of the amount of demolition materials generated annually by the U.S. demolition industry. The evaluation concluded that more than 115 million tons per year of demolition materials are handled across the country through traditional demolition services. The report also found the demolition industry reuses/recycles an estimated 73% of that material.

Representatives of the NDA and GBB recently attended a major briefing on the study with senior EPA staffers. The NDA continues to be in the forefront of the study of demolition waste management in industry today.