If you’re a Missouri resident that still has water-logged furniture or other flood-damaged debris in your home, you have one week left to take advantage of curbside pickup.
The debris removal program launched by President Barack Obama’s emergency declaration is ending Monday, Feb. 15.
“There’s been less and less debris going to curbsides, and because the crews that are going out there and looking for debris are finding less, the program is going to be winding down now,” said Mike O’Connell, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
According to O’Connell, more than 96 percent of the known flood-damaged property has been collected from communities participating in the program.
O’Connell said people who need help getting their flood debris to the curb can call the United Way at 211 to be connected with volunteers who are working in close coordination with pickup crews.
“That’s one of the great things about emergency response, is the volunteers and how they are now incorporated into the whole recovery response and planning because they are so good at what they do. And a lot of that is AmeriCorps,” said O’Connell.
If your debris is still on the curb after a couple of days, O’Connell said to call your local government to ask about pickup. You can also go to the state flood recovery website to see if your community is participating in the program.
According to O’Connell, the flood debris collection program has already picked up almost 2,500 tons of debris and disposed of more than 24,000 hazardous items such as electronics and refrigerators. FEMA and the state is jointly operating the collection program, and the Environmental Protection Agency is recycling the hazardous items after making sure materials such as Freon are properly disposed of.
Missouri communities that aren’t participating in the state debris pickup program have until Feb. 22 to deposit flood-damaged property in landfills under the state environmental waiver authorized by Governor Jay Nixon’s executive order.
Follow Camille Phillips on Twitter: @cmpcamille.
