How to Clean Up Volcanic Ash after an Eruption Safely and Minimize Health Hazards

After a continental volcano like Mt. Redoubt or Mount St. Helens erupts, hazardous ash enters the atmosphere. The same volcanic ash that helps fertilize soil is a hazard to the health and environment of humans, animals and plants because it's made of tiny, sharp particles of rock and glass that are coated with acid and have an electrical charge. Volcanic ash darkens the atmosphere and damages roads, machinery, equipment, water supplies, vehicles and more. Ash causes breathing and lung and eye problems. In short, volcanic ash creates an emergency situation. To contain the damage, an immediate volcanic ash cleanup is necessary. Here you'll find essential tips on safe and effective volcanic ash clean-up and removal.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• dust mask
• goggles
• extra outerwear
• harness for rooftop ash-fall cleanup
• cloth rags and water

1. Read the safety and prevention information on volcanic ash fall in the Resources section for extensive information on removing volcanic ash from your home, clothes, appliances, electronic equipment and other property.

2. Find out what local regulations there are governing the disposal of the volcanic ash. These regulations typically help keep you safe, protect the transport vehicles, and relocate the volcanic ash to places it can enrich the soil.

3. Coordinate your ashfall cleaning efforts with your neighbors. When you clean after the emergency in a coordinated effort, this makes volcanic ash removal transportation, FEMA efforts and other rescue and cleanup assistance more efficient and effective.

4. Wear an IVHHN approved dust mask to filter out the ash when you clean up, or rig a damp cloth mask over your face. Wear goggles if it's dry to protect your eyes.

5. Clean up outdoors first. Don an extra layer of clothing to remove before you return inside once the ash fall clean-up is done.

6. Except on roofs or other surfaces that might collapse under too much weight, dampen ash-coated surfaces with water using a sprinkler before shoveling, wiping or sweeping up fallen ash, to protect yourself from ash blowing upward. Shovel thick layers of moistened ash or sweep thinner layers. Remove the ash directly to ash collection trucks or to thick trash bags. Don't discard volcanic ash in yards or along the sides of the road.

7. Clean your roof shortly after the ashfall, and optimally before a couple of inches of ash coats its surface. A volcanic ash coating of 4" on a roof could be hazardous due to its weight. On roofs, avoid sweeping ash into gutters. Wear a harness if you can, to catch you if you slip.

8. Clean up ash indoors only after the area immediately outside has been cleared of ash, to minimize ongoing intrusion of ash. Ventilate the area, opening up your windows and doors.

9. Moisten thick layers of ash. Vacuum the ash from carpets, bare floors and all surfaces with vacuum cleaners equipped with effective filters. Sweep the moistened ash when necessary.

10. Wipe surfaces using water or detergents. Avoid dry wiping or dusting. For polished and wood surfaces, use a refinishing tack cloth or damp cloth or sponge to blot dry the surface to prevent the fine volcanic ash particles' scratching the delicate surfaces.

11. Replace all your filters in wall vents, appliances and equipment. You may need to do this regularly for months as new ash is kicked up.

12. Clean your car interior, engine, and trunk with cloths and water or cleaning fluid. In thick ash, frequently change your vehicle's oil filters and air filters. Get your wheel brake assemblies serviced. For more information on car cleanup after a volcanic ash fall, see the International Volcanic Health Hazard Network.

Tips & Warnings

• Wait to mow the lawn until after a rain. Store lawn waste in bags.
• Follow the USGS guidelines for cleaning electronic equipment (see Resources).
• Be very careful when cleaning your roof of ash, as ash is extremely slippery. Also walk with caution; your weight added to the weight of ash may cause the roof to fall in.
• Don't wash ash into drains, street gutters or down sewerage openings.
• Keep in mind that ash will abrade any surface it's wiped up on.
• To prevent water shortages, don't soak ash or use a hose to blast away ash during cleanup efforts.
• Avoid the use of fans and dryers indoors, which stir up ash.

Resources

• International Volcanic Health Hazard Network
• What to do after an ash fall by the U.S. Geological Survey
• How to Make an Emergency Preparedness Kit
• How to Make an Emergency Preparedness Checklist
• How to Protect Yourself From a Volcanic Ash Fall: Hazard Prevention and Safety

[tracysmith159]

on 5/26/2009 Good article on Volcanic Ash, I leaarned a bunch form your article.