In the wake of major climate disasters, communities often face the loss of homes and the challenge of managing damaged building materials. Reporting on the 2022 Northern Rivers floods in New South Wales, one account highlights that a large volume of water-damaged materials can be treated as waste: about 14,000 truckloads are said to have been sent to landfill. Other coverage emphasizes that fully recovering and reusing materials typically takes more time than immediate demolition and disposal, but it can deliver social and environmental benefits. Reuse can reduce the demand for new raw materials and limit the impacts of waste disposal, while also supporting rebuilding efforts with existing resources. The combined reporting focuses on practical approaches to diverting flood-damaged materials from landfill and reintroducing usable components into construction. Together, the sources present reuse as a potentially more sustainable pathway after flooding, while also acknowledging that it requires additional coordination, processing, and time to ensure materials are suitable for reuse.