MDEQ Responds to Covington County Tornado Event
(JACKSON, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is responding to the recent tornado that touched down in Covington County early Monday. MDEQ staff is working with officials and residents in Covington County to assist with storm damage and to provide guidance on the proper management of debris resulting from the tornado.
“At this point we are still assessing the amount and types of the debris and working to identify any other environmental issues resulting from the tornado. We have deployed staff to Covington County to help the local officials and the residents in any way we can. If residents or local officials from Covington County, or anywhere else in the state, have questions or concerns relating to debris clean up from storm damage or other resulting environmental issues, please contact our Solid Waste staff at 601-961-5171,” said Richard Harrell, Director of MDEQ’s Office of Pollution Control.
MDEQ is currently working with local officials to assess the damage to determine the best options for management of debris from the storm. Residents cleaning up debris from damaged structures may dispose of most of the structural wastes, furnishings, and bulky debris at the county’s rubbish sites. MDEQ reminds residents that household debris should not be burned but should be disposed of properly at these permitted disposal sites.
Covington County owns and operates two permitted rubbish disposal sites that are available for the disposal of most structural debris such as roofing materials, damaged furnishings, siding, and other building debris as well as vegetative debris such as uprooted trees, stumps, and broken tree limbs.
The county’s north rubbish site appears to be the closest to the areas of damage and is located at 556 Highway 532 near Mount Olive. The south rubbish site, located at 1621 Highway 49 South near Seminary, may also accept rubbish debris. Household garbage-type materials should be disposed of through the county’s normal garbage collection services. Residents can contact county officials at 601-765-8605 regarding the operating hours and conditions at these sites as well as any questions on household garbage collection.
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