Millions of tons of debris can be generated by natural disasters, impacting the surrounding environment and posing health risks to the public. Proper handling and treatment of such waste is essential to overcome potential hazards as well as to reduce the burden on natural resources during the reconstruction phase. Disaster waste management can have social, economic, and environmental benefits if planned effectively. This mini-review focuses on the destruction caused and debris generated by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake in Japan. In addition, it elaborates upon the treatment of debris in Kumamoto at temporary and secondary storage sites by segregation and the adoption of a full-scale recycling system. It also shows that cooperative networks involving numerous organizations are important in managing a large amount of disaster waste. Finally, it presents comparative discussions of different aspects of disaster waste management in the Kumamoto Earthquake event and other disasters. The experience gained from the Kumamoto Earthquake is important for future disaster waste management planning.

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