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Subscribe to RSSWhen a tornado tears through a town like it did in Joplin, Mo., on May 22, it leaves an ocean of rubble in its wake. That rubble has to go somewhere, and in Joplin’s case, it goes to the landfill in nearby Galena, Kan. “We went from 50 tons a day (before the storm) to 5000 tons a day,” says Landfill Manager Don Cartwright. “At any time, there were probably 45 to 50 trucks in here: it was a zoo.”
Jim Seida / msnbc.com
With ease and speed, picker operator Jeremy Stephens from New Franklin, Mo., unloads debris from Joplin's May 22 tornado at the landill in nearby Galena, Kan. on Tuesday, Aug. 16. So far, 16,500 truckloads totaling 145,133 tons of debris have ended up at this landfill.
Ninety-five percent of the debris from Joplin is going to Galena where it gets picked through by hand to remove metal, tires and hazardous household waste. It's amounted to 16,500 truckloads totaling 145,133 tons. What’s left is mostly wood, siding, shingles, and trees, or more accurately, parts of trees. Cars and appliances have already been recycled at another location.
Kelly Ryan, Debris Mission Manager with the Army Corps of Engineers says that so far nearly 1.5 million cubic yards of debris have been collected from streets and private residences. If it were spread out over a football field, the pile would be almost 750 feet high (see graphic below). Another 15,000 cubic yards is scheduled to be removed by Sept. 21.
Army Corps of Engineers
Most of the debris arrives in trucks called “pickers.” These trucks have a small, backhoe-like attachment on the back that allows the operator to pick the debris off the ground, and fill the truck, then in turn empty the truck at the landfill using the same method. After the tornado, picker operator Jeremy Stephens from New Franklin, Mo., left his job hauling logs for a lumber company and started hauling debris in Joplin. “We worked seven-twelves for the first thirty days,” he says, “Now we work seven-elevens. ... Every day it gets a little further out and a little higher. “ Stephens says of the debris pile, “It’s probably grown sixty feet (in height) since I started.”
More from msnbc.com's reporting trip to Joplin:
Photoblog: Tornado shelters dominate Joplin's rebuilding plans
Photoblog: Tornado 'helps' couple downsize
Photoblog: After tornado's harsh lesson, Joplin's child survivors return to school
Story: Joplin students head back to a new high-tech high school, in the mall
Leave a Comment:
How many truckloads of debris were removed in the Alabama April tornados?
What stadium did they use to put this debris in?
A lot more than Joplin, but you never hear any follow up on our issues.
AK--I think it's because you folks in Alabama (and my brother and SIL were two of you) had the misfortune to have experienced the tornados the same week as the royal wedding. I saw that the Alabama storms rated one picture in Time magazine--most unfortunate.
My brother and his wife had their house destroyed around them that awful day. They were forced to move out of state, and are just now getting help. So much was denied them because they were unable to stay in Fultondale.
Joplin was hit by an EF5, 14 miles plus long, and up to 3/4 to 1 mile wide. I know I am here. There is a difference in the areas hit and the destruction caused by an EF4 and an EF5, thus reason for rating. We feel your loss as we experience it as well. Our community created news and possibly because of the community rally. We pray for Alabama as we hope you do for Joplin.
tuscaloosa was hit about a month before joplin. the widespread destruction by f5 and 160 deaths overshadowed all the others in media coverage. they were all just as devastating to the victims and survivors...
Remember, folks, about a billion dollars in taxpayers money is being used to clean up. Where do all those anti-tax, anti-Govt. Missourian congressmen think this money is coming from.... Who do they think is going to pay for the next disaster, medicare, SSN, the military, law enforcement, etc., etc. There is NO FREE LUNCH folks.