Appropriate management
of earthquake generated waste: Lessons from the 2016 earthquake in Ecuador
Rodrìguez-Rìos Elvira, Garcìa-Pàez Benjamìn and Mera-Moreira Ariel
Disaster Advances; Vol. 15(7); 1-9;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/1507da01009; (2022)
Abstract
The earthquake that hit Ecuador on April 16th, 2016, generated immense devastation
to the province of Manabi and created large volumes of debris and waste. This study
aims to analyze the lack of a pre-disaster plan that affected the 2016 earthquake
waste management. Without an acceptable method, the maker-decisions that faced proximate
and fundamental problems fell into turmoil which consequences the disposal of debris
confined in makeshift and a low rate of recovery of recycling materials. Data was
collected through surveys addresses to total medium and small-sized scrap businesses
(n=22) in Portoviejo city in October 2019. In addition, statistical information
from public and private agencies was obtained.
The results of this study showed limitations in the 2016 earthquake waste management
process such as lack of landfill areas, lack of temporary and final disposal sites
and organizational limitations in the recycling process and material recovery. In
addition, 2016 earthquake generated approximately 7,561,219.81 m3 of debris in Manabí,
of which 6.9% was in Portoviejo. In the first month post-earthquake, 13,500,000
kilograms of ordinary and hazardous waste in Portoviejo city were collected, of
which 20% was reused or recycled.
