#NoDAPL Camp Cleanup Is Completed After an Estimated 2.4 Million Pounds of Trash Is Hauled Away

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wrapped up its $1.1 million cleanup of the Dakota Access camps on federal land, hauling off 835 dumpsters of remaining trash and debris at the now-vacant site once occupied by thousands of protesters,” reports Valerie Richardson for the Washington Times.

Corps Capt. Ryan Hignight said a total of 8,170 cubic yards of debris were removed from the three camps — Sacred Stone, Oceti Sakowin and Rosebud — all located within the floodplain on federally managed land.

“In total there were 835 roll-off dumpsters of trash and debris removed from the three camps together,” Capt. Hignight said in an email.

Some items, including propane tanks and lumber, were set aside for recycling, The Associated Press reported.

The crew only cleaned up garbage located on federal land. Sacred Stone, where 2,160 cubic yards of debris were removed, is located partially on tribal land.

“I am unable to confirm if the camp not located on corps-managed land is clean,” Capt. Hignight said.

It can be hard to wrap your arms around just how much trash we’re talking about. To put that cubic yards figure from the Army Corps into context, according to estimates used by the landfill industry a cubic yard of loose waste can weigh 250-350 pounds. So if we assume that each cubic yard of trash hauled from the #NoDAPL camps averaged about 3oo pounds we’re left with some 2.4 million pounds of trash hauled away.

That’s…a lot.

According to the Times piece there were also a dozen animals who were left behind at the camp. They’ve been taken in by a shelter based in Bismarck/Mandan.