Floods, earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes can result in chemical releases and the development of mold in wet building materials.
Consider these options when cleaning up after a disaster:
- Report pesticide spills, hazardous waste, and chemical and oil spills to the National Response Center at 800-424-8802.
- Limit contact with flood waters that may contain hazardous waste.
- Place markers or signs where you know chemicals have been released.
- Contact your local authorities if you know about damaged or unusable pesticides.
- Remove standing water and dry indoor areas to control moisture and mold.
- Disinfect drinking water by boiling it for at least 1 minute. Disinfection removes bacteria, not necessarily chemicals. Read more about options for disinfecting water.
- Decontaminate well water before using it for bathing, cleaning, or drinking.
- Put your community disaster plan in place. Salvaging, reusing, and recycling disaster debris can be one of the most effective ways of clean up.