Riot Cleanup Operation In Full Swing

11 August 2011

After four nights of civil unrest across the UK comes the cleanup operation, with local authorities aided by the waste industry and volunteers from across the country

The aftermath of the senseless destruction has seen communities coming together to clean up

It has been a tumultuous week for the UK, with riots erupting in London and quickly spreading across the country and swiftly devolving into widespread looting and senseless violence. But with the police beginning to reclaim the streets, the post-riot cleanup operation is now in full swing, with local residents banding together to restore their damaged neighbourhoods with the aid of local authorities and the waste industry.

Joining the cleanup operation are corporate members of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors, who have been tasked with razing and making safe buildings damaged by fires started at the height of the riots.

In Tottenham, North London - where the riots began - Squibb Group was on hand within 24 hours of a CarpetRight store being torched. And in Croydon, South London, 777 Group is taking down what remains of the House of Reeves furniture store that was largely destroyed in an arson attack two nights ago.

Emergency Response

As the unrest spread northward to Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Manchester, NFDC members are on standby to help local authorities make the streets safe for local residents.

"Our members are ideally paced to assist local authorities and the emergency services having to deal with buildings made unsafe and unstable by fire," says NFDC president Gary Bishop. "We can provide national coverage and our members have all been independently audited for competence, safety, experience and professionalism.

"Furthermore, any local authority calling upon the help of an NFDC member can rest assured that staff are fully trained and that their insurance credentials are all in place."

Tom Spaul chief operating officer of Veolia Environmental Services said: "Our team in London have been working in partnership with our various local authority clients in the capital to ensure a swift clean-up following the deplorable rioting and anti-social behaviour in numerous parts of Greater London. This has involved working long hours and mobilising additional resources where necessary.

"I salute all of our staff who have worked and continue to work so efficiently. I am encouraged by the number of messages of thanks that we are receiving from the general public who have acknowledged our efforts to get London back on its feet."

CIWM's own Steve Lee, earlier this week released a statement commending the public for all the help and enthusiasm shown during the cleanup process, saying: "It is wonderful that so many people want to do something positive - and hats-off to the 'riotcleanup' tweeters for providing a focal point for those who care about their local communities and environment. It is equally pleasing that local authorities and their contractors have sprung into action yet again - and that their efforts have been recognised and praised by the public."

Advice For Volunteers

Following the public response to riots and damage across England, many still want to volunteer their clean-up services but need advice on what to do, where and when; what health and safety precautions might be needed, as well as what to bring

ALWAYS contact your local council first, is the advice of CIWM. Many are tweeting or using other media, websites etc. saying where help is needed and how volunteers can get involved.

"We would urge some caution, however," said Steve Lee. "These clean-up operations need to be properly co-ordinated and safety is a real issue here, with potentially dangerous wreckage, broken glass and metal items - and some areas are still crime scenes. The best thing that volunteers can do is to contact their council and find out if, how, and where their help is needed."

In many cases the council has reacted so quickly and thoroughly or the affected area is still a crime scene, that in those cases there might not be much that CAN be done.

There are always hygiene and basic safety issues associated with the most innocuous of litter. Riot related rubbish and debris could be sharp, might even be hot and could be lying on top of something more harmful.

Basic hygiene and safety advice for "normal" litter clean up campaigns run by Keep Britain Tidy is available on their web site - http://www.thebigtidyup.org/

Darrel Moore