AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Communities across Texas are still in the process of recovering from devastating flash flooding that hit the weekend of July 4. Part of that process includes cleaning up debris left behind from the flooding.

Debris left behind by natural disasters can pose health and safety risks. It can block roads and waterways or obstruct power lines, and it can contain potentially hazardous and/or toxic material.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cleanup activities after disasters can come with threats, like exposure to hazards from leaking gas lines or carbon monoxide poisoning. For flood cleanup specifically, "failure to remove contaminated materials and reduce moisture and humidity may present serious long-term health risks from micro-organisms, such as bacte

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