Quick response for cyclone wastage

A new research project will investigate disaster waste management schemes after Cyclone Marcus severely hit Darwin last month.

The Disaster waste management in Darwin following Cyclone Marcus project has been funded for a quick response to evaluate how wastage is managed in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The project, led by Associate Professor Akhilesh Surjan will collect primary data on waste that is left at the Shoal Bay Waste Management Facility after the cyclone.

The facility has been challenged by the clean-up process because of its limited resources and the large amounts of wastage.

Researchers from Charles Darwin University will conduct a survey of parks, schools, selected public facilities and some residential and commercial areas to discover the different types of waste that is generated.

The category-two cyclone left 26,000 homes without power for as long as four days after it hit Darwin and the surrounding region on 17 March this year.

It is the worst cyclone to hit Darwin since Cyclone Tracey devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve in 1974.

Thousands of South African Mahogany trees were planted in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracey but were destroyed by Marcus’ 130 km/hour winds.

Mobile service, water supply and underground cables, pipes and drains were destroyed by the cyclone.

Debris and green wastage was reported to be scattered all over greater Darwin as locals were forced to remove and dispose of the waste.

Residents queued up for hours to dispose of trees and other green waste matter in front of the waste disposal facility because Darwin does not have a green waste collection service.

The quick response of researchers will ensure the wastage is not transported away to other parts of the Northern Territory for any commercial purposes.

The data collected through this research will help inform longer duration research on disaster waste management.