As Oklahoma residents struggle to reorder their lives after the devastating tornadoes that swept through their towns this week, they will face serious environmental cleanup problems. It will take months to haul away a staggering amount of debris — 220 million cubic yards — and officials aren’t sure where they’ll put it. Federal officials may set up high temperature incinerators in the area to burn the rubble. Also, asbestos insulation is spilling from the remains of walls and ceilings in homes, and gasoline and battery acid is leaking from about 10,000 wrecked automobiles, potentially threatening water supplies.
