SAIPAN — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin residential debris removal operations across all three islands next week and is asking storm-impacted residents to sort and stage their debris at the roadside ahead of crews, USACE announced Thursday.
The mission is being run in coordination with FEMA and CNMI partners. A village-by-village schedule will be announced through the FEMA-CNMI Joint Information Center.
“Working shoulder-to-shoulder with FEMA and our local CNMI partners, our priority is to safely and efficiently clear the hazards left in the wake of Typhoon Sinlaku, so these communities can recover,” said Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, commander of the USACE Recovery Field Office in Saipan.
Residents are asked to place sorted debris along the public right-of-way, the strip between the roadside and the property line, and to ensure piles do not block the roadway, fire hydrants or utility meters.
Crews will collect debris in six separated categories: vegetative debris such as leaves, branches and logs; large appliances including refrigerators, washers, dryers and stoves; construction and demolition debris such as drywall, lumber and roofing materials; sheet metal and tin; electronics including TVs, computers, radios, printers and solar panels; and household hazardous materials such as paint, oils, batteries, pesticides and chemicals.
Regular household trash, including bagged garbage, food waste and paper goods, will not be collected under this program. Residents should continue using existing municipal or contracted trash services for routine household waste.
Residents who have difficulty lifting or sorting debris, or who are assisting Man’amko with their cleanup, can contact the CNMI Department of Public Works at (670) 235-9570 for support.
USACE and FEMA urged the public to keep a safe distance from heavy equipment and debris-hauling trucks operating in their villages and to keep children clear of all work zones.
The debris removal mission targets storm waste from public rights-of-way, critical infrastructure sites and local neighborhoods, and is part of the broader interagency recovery effort following Typhoon Sinlaku.