Trees, trash, and hurricanes: The case study of Puerto Rico and vegetative disaster debris management after Hurricanes Irma and Maria

Abstract

This paper contributes to the existing disaster management literature by proposing a new theory called the chain of powerful actors (CPA) using the case study of vegetative disaster debris management in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. This theory hypothesizes that when policies and priorities of organizational actors within the CPA do not align, this causes weak links within the chain, leading to prioritized practices that cause a loss in local capacity building for future natural disasters. This inability to foster local capacity building contributes to a cycle of dependence on federal disaster management agencies. This research study interviewed 28 individuals from different sectors related to vegetative disaster debris management, including government agencies at the federal and municipal levels, businesses, advocacy organizations, and a university. This study found that disaster management policies and priorities, in the case of Puerto Rico, led to stakeholders within the circular economy on the island not having access to the vegetative disaster debris. Additionally, the study found that interviewees reported excessive vegetative disaster debris entering the island's limited landfill and dumpsite areas.