Streamlining storm cleanup

The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, creating a greater need for efficient disaster cleanup.

Natural disasters leave communities with overwhelming volumes of debris requiring efficient processing. These large volumes of mixed materials—including wood, building materials and household debris—complicate cleanup efforts. Efficient processing of this material speeds recovery and supports recycling.

Delays in disaster recovery can lead to prolonged economic hardship, infrastructure failures and health risks for affected communities, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Fast recovery is crucial as prolonged disrepair makes rebuilding more challenging.

Low-speed shredders are becoming a key component in storm cleanup. While not commonly used for disaster recovery in the past, these shredders are gaining popularity as efficiency becomes a top priority in response to more frequent and severe storms.

Why low-speed shredders work for disaster debris

Low-speed shredders are versatile machines, excelling in processing material with contaminants given their low rotor speed and high torque configuration. They can handle a wide range of material streams, including C&D debris, contaminated green waste, municipal solid waste, storm debris and land-clearing materials.

Storm-damaged areas contain a complex mixture of materials. Typical tornado debris includes structural wood and framing, roofing materials and siding, furniture and household items, plumbing and electrical components, flooring, carpet and wallboard.

High-speed grinders struggle with mixed materials containing metal contaminants, whereas low-speed shredders manage these mixed materials more effectively because of their tolerance for ferrous contaminants.

Each piece of equipment has a specific role in cleanup operations. Low-speed shredders are best for processing commingled construction and demolition debris. Horizontal grinders and tub grinders provide a more efficient solution for clean green waste. When debris consists mostly of tree waste without contaminants, high-speed grinders are the preferred option.

Transportation and disposal savings

Low-speed shredders deliver significant logistical advantages for disaster cleanup operations. By compacting raw debris that contains substantial air space, they enable more efficient transportation, increasing the volume per load while helping to reduce costs and speed cleanup timelines.

Eliminating large air gaps helps extend landfill life, as well.

Case study: tornado recovery

When an EF4 tornado touched down in Greenfield, Iowa, in May 2024, it left behind thousands of tons of debris across multiple counties. The cleanup effort that followed demonstrated how specialized equipment could transform disaster recovery operations.

The tornado reached estimated wind speeds of 185 mph, carving a 42.4-mile path through Page, Taylor, Adams and Adair counties. The powerful storm destroyed homes, businesses and infrastructure, incurring more than $31 million in property damage. Hundreds of structures were destroyed or damaged, resulting in five fatalities and 35 reported injuries.

“The devastation we witnessed in Greenfield was extensive,” says Jeremy Boka, the Altoona, Iowa-based vice president of business development at EIS Holdings. EIS Holdings is an environmental remediation contractor headquartered in Westlake, Texas.

“These types of disasters create complex cleanup scenarios where efficiency becomes crucial to helping communities recover.”

Within 48 hours of mobilizing to Greenfield, EIS Holdings deployed an LS3600TX low-speed shredder from Vermeer Corp., Pella, Iowa, to process the mixed construction and demolition debris scattered throughout the community. “We began hauling bulk material almost immediately because the timing was critical to prevent the piles from accumulating too quickly, but we were able to have the shredders on-site within 48 hours of our mobilization,” Boka says.

The low-speed shredder became the cornerstone of the Greenfield cleanup, delivering improvements in processing capacity and transportation efficiency. The impact was notable, with EIS Holdings seeing a 40-50 percent increase in load capacity.

“We were getting in the neighborhood of 7 tons to 9 tons a truck when it was bulk debris prior to [shredding], and now we’re getting 13 tons to 15 tons,” Boka notes.

The shredder also reduced trucking by one-third and loading time from 20 minutes to seven minutes per load, dramatically improving throughput.

The bottom line

EIS Holding’s experience in Greenfield shows clear advantages of using low-speed shredders. The 40-50 percent increase in load capacity meant fewer truck trips, reduced fuel consumption and lower labor costs per ton processed. Cutting loading time allowed EIS Holdings to process significantly more material per day with the same crew size. When landfills are hours away, as in this case, eliminating every third truck trip saved fuel, driver wages and equipment wear.

Low-speed shredders also enable contractors to optimize landfill space and create recycling opportunities that previously weren’t viable.

For contractors, low-speed shredders offer demonstrated results in real-world disasters, making them valuable tools in disaster recovery.

The author is brand experience lead for Pella, Iowa-based Vermeer Corp., www.vermeer.com.