Now Comes the After Flooding Clean-Up
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
DES MOINES, Iowa - Some locations in Iowa received more than seven inches of rain in the last two days and more is forecast. Already there are reports of thousands of Iowa homes with water standing in basements, which usually means tons of ruined carpet and furniture.
Amy Hock, with Metro Waste Authority, says these damaged items can go to the landfill — but other items cannot.
"Items such as paint and stains and household cleaners that have gotten wet and damaged because of the water, those items do not go into their garbage can — and they certainly do not go into the landfill."
Bigger things such as appliances need to be recycled, she adds.
"There is a great temptation for people to just ditch it out in the country, out in a ditch somewhere — and that is not proper disposal."
She says there are options available to residents who have large items that they would have difficulty hauling away on their own. She suggests anyone with questions about disposal of flood-damaged items can check with their local trash collection company or local city hall about the rules.
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