Flood Debris Carries Unwanted Guests

Formosan termites, aggressive invaders that chew through concrete, electrical cables and houses, may be Hurricane Katrina's final threat.

Termite experts are concerned that the demand for landfill space — an estimated 50 million cubic yards in New Orleans alone — will lead to disposal of infested debris in landfills in termite-free areas.

Although Louisiana has a quarantine to contain Formosan termites, the state environmental agency recently called all its landfills to check on their future capacity, even sites in termite-free parishes. Several managers from those landfills said they planned to accept debris from New Orleans.

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Source: New York Times