October 17, 2011 – The City of Omaha is announcing that Keep Nebraska Beautiful (KNB) has agreed to act as a clearinghouse to match parties with unwanted sand and sandbags prepared for this summer’s flood with citizens and organizations that have uses for the sand. The availability of or need for sand can be posted on KNB’s Materials Exchange website, which can be accessed at http://www.knb.org/exchange_listings.html.
The sand and sandbags made available through the Exchange can be both “clean” and flood-contaminated. Sand or sandbags that have not contacted floodwater can be reused without restrictions. Sand or sandbags that have contacted floodwater should not be reused in ways that would involve direct human contact, such as children’s play areas or residential gardening. For more information on these restrictions, please consult the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality’s Environmental Fact Sheet http://www.deq.state.ne.us/ . If parties are working toward FEMA reimbursement for sand or sandbags, special restrictions on disposal may apply, and they should first consult with FEMA.
