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Laying the foundation for recovery

UNDP addresses the full cycle of debris management

March 11^th, 2026

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Conflict and disasters create not only enormous losses but also enormous amounts of dangerous rubble.

This landscape of destruction can be contaminated with unexploded ordnance, toxic waste and, tragically, human remains, posing huge health, safety and logistical challenges.

Clearing this debris restores safe access to homes and infrastructure, revives essential services and helps doctors, engineers and aid workers get where they’re needed.

Removing debris also restores a sense of purpose and ownership to communities by creating jobs and laying the foundation for recovery.

Jamaica

When Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on 28 October 2025, it left nearly 5 million tonnes of debris across the hardest-hit parishes. Within 72 hours, UNDP and partners including UNOSAT assessed damage and mapped debris, helping the government identify priority areas and move quickly.

“We needed to act fast because delay means blocked roads, vital services at a standstill, lost income and increased suffering to those hit hardest by the storm.”

—Kishan Khoday, UNDP Resident Representative in Jamaica

A worker in a safety vest rakes debris in front of a house with a blue tarp on the roof. The worker wears a red hard hat, orange gloves, and tan boots. Plastic bottles and trash litter the asphalt road. A wrought iron gate surrounds the house.

Man in a yellow hard hat pushes a dirty white stove top in a red wheelbarrow down a street. A light blue truck with front damage is parked nearby.

In Savanna-la-Mar, community clean-up teams led the effort. “We go into our neighbour's yard, taking out the debris, trying to get the community clean, so we can get rid of the mosquitoes,” said Samar Vickers, Community Team Lead.

The clean-up also provided short-term jobs. At the same time, recyclable materials were separated and reused where possible, helping reduce waste and restart local economies.

“It’s a chance to create short-term income for those who have lost their livelihoods, linking the hard work of clean-up to the vital goal of community renewal.”

—Ronald Jackson, Head of the Disaster Risk Reduction, Recovery for Building Resilience, UNDP

Afghanistan

The earthquake that struck Afghanistan on 31 August 2025 devastated whole communities, claiming lives, destroying homes and infrastructure, and increasing economic hardship. Many families stayed near their villages in temporary shelters while debris was cleared and homes made safe for return.

One initiative, supported by Republic of Korea’s REVIVE programme, employed over 5,400 people to remove debris and restore access to critical public infrastructure. Thanks to this effort, 350,000 people affected by the earthquake were able to use water systems, irrigation canals and roads.

“I’m working to clear debris from homes, including my own. Through UNDP, I earn money, and I’m rebuilding. That gives me hope.”

—Asad, Resident Suttan village

Rescue workers in hard hats and vests search through rubble in a rural, mountainous area. One man gestures with his arm outstretched. Debris and dust fill the air.

Rescue workers search through rubble in a mountainous region. The workers wear yellow hard hats and orange vests, and they are moving rocks and a wooden beam. Tents are visible in the background.

Man in hardhat and safety vest smiles, sitting amid rubble, with rescue workers clearing debris in background.

Group of men in hard hats and vests hold shovels, standing in front of a sign for

Exterior of a partially collapsed, tan-colored building with a flat roof against a blue sky. Debris surrounds the structure.

A group of adults and children sit on rubble in front of a partially destroyed building. The sky is clear and blue. The adults wear traditional clothing, and the children wear patterned shirts and dresses. The building is made of white and brown brick.

Woman in hijab stands in rubble of destroyed buildings, holding a piece of wood. Large sacks sit in the foreground, clear blue sky.

Myanmar

An earthquake in Myanmar in March 2025 left behind a trail of shattered homes and broken livelihoods, affecting at least 6.8 million people, including many in hard-to-reach locations.

Within 72 hours, UNDP applied RAPIDA to estimate that 2.5 million tonnes of rubble had been generated, including in inaccessible areas. The analysis was complemented by extensive field verification in seven regions.

The assessment confirmed widespread infrastructure damage, disrupted livelihoods and the urgent need for rapid debris clearance and support for the most vulnerable.

UNDP’s immediate response included removing debris and rehabilitating accessible infrastructure through cash-for-work and other programmes, benefitting over 570,000 people.

Pile of red bricks and rubble sits in front of a damaged, light-green building with white doors. The building's roof is partially missing, with trees visible behind.

A large pile of rubble and debris sits behind a blue fence under a cloudy sky. A utility pole stands to the right, with power lines overhead. The street is wet, with a red and white curb.

Two children sit on a pile of red bricks while another child plays on the bricks. A tree provides shade. In the background, a building with stairs is visible.

Two-story makeshift house constructed of scrap wood and metal panels with printed advertisements. Laundry hangs from the upper balcony. Debris litters the ground around the structure.

Woman in blue vest speaks with two other women. Behind them is a collapsed bamboo structure.

Two construction workers clear rubble. One worker fills a woven basket with bricks, while the other sorts through debris in a plaid shirt and work gloves. Both wear yellow hard hats and orange safety vests.

Gaza

From schools to hospitals to private homes, over 80 per cent of buildings have been damaged or destroyed in Gaza.

UNDP is removing rubble and crushing it at rate of about 1,500 tonnes per day throughout five crushing sites. The rubble is then used to level roads and shelter sites as well as to improve access to bakeries, kitchens and hospitals. Over 267 road sections have been repaired using crushed debris.

Man sits on a log amidst rubble in a war-torn street. He wears dark clothing and sandals, gazing into the distance. Buildings are damaged, smoke rises, and debris litters the ground.

Boy looks over a destroyed neighborhood with rubble, damaged buildings, and construction equipment. The scene is overcast and somber.

A smiling boy runs toward the viewer on a dirt road, with destroyed buildings on either side. Two men sit amongst the rubble in the background. Overcast sky.

Man walks through a landscape of gray rubble, concrete, and twisted metal. The debris field stretches to the horizon, with a narrow path cleared. Overcast lighting.

A man walks down a road lined with rubble and destroyed buildings. Other figures walk in the distance. The sky is overcast.

Street runs between bombed-out buildings, rubble piles on either side. Overcast sky. A lone figure walks in the distance.

“UNDP helped us by reopening roads and providing water trucking services after clearing the rubble from this very area. Thanks to their efforts, the main road connecting the Palestinian Red Crescent Hospital with Nasser Hospital is now open again, an essential lifeline for everyone in the community.”

—Dr Mahmoud Kullab, Head of the Neighbours Committee in Al Amal and G-Block Camp

Working with the UN Mine Action Service and UN Environment Programme, safety, dignity and the environment can be protected simultaneously.

Aerial view shows construction vehicles and workers moving rubble in a large, open pit near a refugee camp. Tent structures are visible in the background. — DCIM\100MEDIA\DJI_0472.JPG

A yellow CAT 936E front loader dumps dirt into the back of a white and blue dump truck on a sunny day. The loader has a UNDP sticker on the front.

People walk along a dirt path through a destroyed city. Buildings are reduced to rubble and twisted metal. The scene is overcast and gray.

Construction site shows workers near heavy machinery, including a rock crusher and bulldozer, under a partly cloudy sky. Dust rises from the active quarry. — DCIM\100MEDIA\DJI_0473.JPG

Syria

After more than a decade of conflict, the momentous return of displaced Syrians presents opportunity and urgent challenges.

Many cities have been devastated, with homes, hospitals, schools, roads and power plants severely damaged or destroyed. Landmines and explosive ordnance must be cleared before people can return home, farmers can begin growing crops again, and infrastructure repair and recovery can take place.

Two children stand on rubble against a blue sky. A girl in a pink coat and patterned hat stands next to a boy holding a shovel on a debris pile. Concrete and rebar are visible.

Family walks down a street lined with rubble and damaged buildings. Two girls in hijabs walk together in the center, holding bags. Two men and two boys walk alongside them. Overcast sky.

A woman in a hijab stands holding hands with a boy and girl in front of a pile of rubble. Another woman stands to their right. The rubble pile is large and contains concrete, metal, and personal belongings.

Thanks to Core Partners, UNDP has cleared over 2.1 million m³ of rubble (approximately 3.15 million tonnes). Workers are given risk awareness training and children receive lessons in how to recognize and avoid explosive threats. Partnerships including National Mine Action Authorities, UNMAS, UNICEF, Halo Trust and others continue to enable these efforts.

In northwest Syria, 257,000 tonnes of debris have been recycled to use in road rehabilitation, public squares and other areas. In the early 2026, UNDP plans to remove over 550,000 m³ across four governorates.

Two UNDP team members walk through rubble-filled street in Aleppo's old city. Buildings are heavily damaged, with stone walls and debris visible. The sky is clear and blue. — UNDP team inspecting the damages in the old city of Aleppo following the earthquake that hit TÃ¼rkiye and Syria on 06 February 2023. On 01 March 2023, UNDP launched its debris removal activities in Aleppo where it will clear 10,000 m3 from the old city a

Workers in yellow suits and hardhats clear rubble in a destroyed urban area. One worker loads rocks into a truck, while others carry debris. Buildings are damaged in the background.

Four workers in hard hats clear rubble in a stone building, part of UNDP efforts. Three use shovels and pickaxes, one observes in a face mask and vest. — Within the efforts of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and with the generous support of the Republic of Korea (ROK), the Debris Removal and Recycling Project has been launched in Aleppo. So far, the project has achieved: ðï¸ Removal of 4,500 tons of debris â»ï¸ Recycling of 1,200 mÂ³ into usable materials for roads and public facilities The project continues its work in Qadi Askar â Bab al-Nairab â Old Aleppo to achieve its goals: ðï¸ Removal of 150,000 tons of de

Within the efforts of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and with the generous support of the Republic of Korea (ROK), the Debris Removal and Recycling Project has been launched in Aleppo. So far, the project has achieved: ðï¸ Removal of 4,500 tons of debris â»ï¸ Recycling of 1,200 mÂ³ into usable materials for roads and public facilities The project continues its work in Qadi Askar â Bab al-Nairab â Old Aleppo to achieve its goals: ðï¸ Removal of 150,000 tons of de

Ukraine

Since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion in February 2022, widespread aerial attacks and the occupation of vast areas of Ukraine have devastated whole neighbourhoods and left them contaminated with explosive ordnance.

According to assessments, 13 percent of Ukraine’s houses have been damaged or destroyed, affecting over 2.5 million households. Debris has become one of the biggest barriers to recovery and return.

Since 2022, UNDP has supported Ukraine in clearing and sorting one million tonnes of debris in 26 communities in eight oblasts. This has restored safe access to over 200 community spaces and enabled reconstruction at more than 1,600 damaged sites, including homes, schools and hospitals.

More than 3,600 schools have been damaged nationwide, with nearly 400 destroyed. One of them was Chervonodolynskyi Lyceum in Mykolaiv region. Bombed in March 2022, it was left beyond repair and most residents fled. Clearing the debris was the first step toward rebuilding education and restoring hope for the community.

Woman in hardhat fills black trash bag with debris at a demolition site. Concrete rubble surrounds her; excavator visible in the background. Bright daylight.

A woman in protective gear picks up a black trash bag in a debris-filled area. She wears a white suit, hard hat, and blue vest with white stripes and a Japanese flag. In the background, rubble and an excavator are visible.

Workers in protective suits fill black bags with rubble in front of a partially destroyed brick building. An excavator sits behind the workers. Other people stand behind caution tape in the background.

Worker in hardhat carries debris from a demolition site with an orange excavator in the background. He wears a green jacket and blue safety vest. The scene is filled with rubble.

Young woman stands in front of a pile of concrete rubble. She wears a white shirt, black pants, and sneakers. The sky is blue.

A woman stands in front of a destroyed building. Piles of rubble and concrete surround her. She wears a beige jumpsuit and looks down with her hands clasped. The sky is blue with some clouds.

Demolition scene: An orange excavator tears down a snow-covered building, leaving rubble. Two workers in orange vests stand nearby. An apartment building is in the background.

All operations follow strict safety protocols to detect explosive ordnance and hazardous materials such as asbestos. Rubble is sorted and recycled for reuse in roads and landfill protection.

This large-scale debris management is done in cooperation with local authorities and the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, with support from the governments of Japan, the Republic of Korea and Sweden, the European Union (FPI), and the Ukraine Community Recovery Fund.

Aerial view shows a red truck with a yellow tarp-covered load on a dirt lot. A worker in a hardhat stands on the load. The lot is brown dirt with tire tracks and debris.

Demolition site with a yellow excavator tearing down a partially destroyed building under a cloudy sky. Dust and debris fly as the machine works. An orange water tank sits nearby.

Man in hardhat and vest stands near the remains of a destroyed building. An excavator loads debris into a truck. The vest reads,

Sudan

Sudan’s war has played out largely in cities and towns, densely populated areas where people once lived and worked, before many fled. The fighting has left behind vast quantities of debris contaminated with unexploded ordnance.

As families begin to return, they are finding explosive remnants in their homes, on rooftops and embedded in walls, turning rubble into a deadly hazard. Partners have reported explosions in areas where rubbish was burned and hidden ordnance detonated, a stark reminder of the dangers that persist.

Before debris can be removed in Khartoum, the National Mine Action Centre conducts clearance operations and provides certificates confirming sites are safe, while also delivering explosive ordnance risk education and a helpline for reporting suspected devices.

In Khartoum, UNDP Resident Representative Luca Renda met workers clearing debris, reopening access routes and earning incomes. This initiative is made possible through our Funding Windows, with generous support from Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Republic of Korea.

Every cleared street is a reminder that even in the hardest moments, communities want to work and rebuild. Where resources are available, results follow quickly.