Why they dont immediately remove rubble from a building collapse when one occurs.
In: Engineering
Ignoring the search and rescue aspect, as that’s been addressed by others, they can’t just scoop up the rubble and dump it in a landfill.
First, there’s the possibility, even the likelihood, of toxic materials. Asbestos was fairly commonly used until the 1980s, but even newer buildings could have mold, pockets of carbon monoxide, spilled bleach and windex that would create a poison gas. Lots of stuff.
Second, some of the materials are worth saving. Copper pipes and steel rebar, for example, will be separated out and recycled.
Third, there’s a safety aspect of just moving tons of material. You can’t just ram a bulldozer into a three-story tall pile of rubble, not can you drive an excavator on top of it. So it’s logistically challenging.
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