After Michigan tornadoes, storms cause damage, state releases cleanup guidelines
(CBS DETROIT) - After tornadoes and storms traveled across Michigan on Tuesday, the state has released guidelines for residents to follow when cleaning up branches and debris.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is offering guidance on managing debris for impacted residents in the southwest area of the state, along with a new storm planning tool for local officials.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Branch and Cass counties following the storms, and city officials in Portage confirmed that while two tornadoes touched down, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported.
List of storm cleanup guidelines for Michigan residents
Here's a list of guidelines EGLE released following Tuesday's storms:
- After evacuation, be sure to check with local authorities before returning. Upon arrival at the property, conduct a visual inspection to check for any downed power lines.
- Itemize items on property, with special attention to hazardous materials such as paint, motor oil and solvents. For a list of common types of household hazardous waste and local household hazardous waste collection contacts, visit Michigan.gov/EGLEHHW.
- Use caution when walking through obstructions or large debris piles to avoid hidden hazards, such as nails and other sharp objects.
- Residents and business owners should treat storm-related construction and demolition debris as potentially containing asbestos, and maintain it in a wet condition until disposal. For more information on handling asbestos waste, visit Michigan.gov/EGLEAsbestos.
- Debris from homes and businesses should be collected for disposal. This includes structural materials, roofing, insulation, siding, appliances, carpet, furniture and other household items. Otsego County will coordinate mass debris collection and disposal in conjunction with the State Emergency Operations Center. Residents who do not independently manage waste disposal are encouraged to contact local and county municipalities for specific direction.
- Storm-generated woody and vegetative debris such as trees and untreated wood should be sorted and allowed to dry. These items can be chipped into mulch, composted or saved for municipal collection in areas that do so.
- Air quality regulations only allow open burning of trees, logs, brush and stumps. For questions about open burning, visit Michigan.gov/OpenBurning.
Local officials and emergency responders can use EGLE's new storm debris planning tool for guidance on storm-related events.
