Environments that arise from biohazardous events such as suicides, murders or homicides, crime or trauma scenes, and accidents produce medical waste.  Our fully-compliant trauma scene decontamination technicians are experienced in remediation and will respond with the sensitivity and capability needed to resolve the issues inherent to environments affected by medical waste.

Professional Service

We deliver a service portfolio that includes remediation of environments contaminated by blood and biological fluids or any biohazardous material.

Our technicians have years of experience in the cleaning and restoration of environments affected by crime and trauma, human decomposition, law enforcement response tear gas, infection control, and methamphetamine lab residue remediation.

Our trauma scene decontamination technicians are fully bonded and insured.

Various projects demand differing degrees of discretion.  While we are discreet in all of our services, some of our contracts are with clients that require the utmost in discretion.

Luxury hotels, public arenas, schools, airports, transportation depots, and other similar environments may need increased flexibility from our trauma scene decontamination technicians to forgo additional attention to the scene.

We will work within our Engineering Controls, Work Practice Controls, and Administrative Controls to meet your elevated discretion needs.

We recognize that our services could not arrive at a more sensitive time for our customers.  We are very proud to be able to assist your family or commercial interest in a time of need.  Please contact us with your service request.

Segregation of Hazards

One very important aspect of medical waste disposal control to consider is those who may handle that medical waste once it leaves the custody of the primary generator.  When medical waste is generated from a crime or trauma scene, human decomposition, accident, or personal medical needs, others may come into contact without the awareness of the hazards inherent to this biological waste.

The hazards faced by first responders, such as police officers and fire fighters, are well documented.  These vital service providers respond to crime and trauma scenes and provide an invaluable shield for those they are assigned to protect.  Another vital service provider that doesn’t share the public awareness of the hazards they face is the municipal garbage collector.

Municipal garbage collectors rank third on the list of the riskiest jobs in the United States according to a study by the Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management, Miami, and the University of Miami.

Falling behind commercial fisherman and timber cutting, municipal garbage collectors average 90 deaths annually per 100,000 workers.  These service providers who are on the front line of the municipal waste stream are also injured 5 to 7 times more than the average worker.

An attempt to dispose of medical waste through the municipal waste stream exposes garbage collectors to bacterial hazards, as well as, Bloodborne pathogens.  The primary Bloodborne pathogens are Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). 

HBV is infection that causes inflammation of the liver and is one of the primary causes of hepatitis.  HBV does not have a cure and approximately 15 to 25 percent of those infected with HBV will die because of it (1).

Another cause of hepatitis, HCV, also causes liver damage similar to HBV.  The long-term effects of HCV are fatal to about 5 percent of those who contract it.  Again, like HBV, HCV-infected people are infectious to others whether or not they show symptoms (1).

The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, commonly known as AIDS, is caused by HIV.  Many years may pass before those infected with HIV show symptoms of the disease.  Like HBV and HCV, it is very important to recognize that individuals that have contracted HIV are potentially infectious to others without outward symptoms.

So, when medical waste is generated from a crime or trauma scene, human decomposition, accident, or personal medical needs is disposed of through the municipal waste stream in front of a residence or lodging or a conventional trash receptacle, the municipal garbage collectors may be exposed to life threatening disease, such as HBV, HCV, and HIV.  And those municipal garbage collectors are not isolated in their exposure to medical waste disposed of in the municipal waste stream.

Others that may share this risk are individuals who may recover metals or other salvageable items from trash for resale, pedestrians, and most disturbing, children.

Those who choose to forgo the law and put at risk the health of others may face more than their conscience if someone is injured by their action.

Regulation Enforcement

The EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance is committed to achieving measurable progress in protecting our nation’s air, water, and land.  OECA’s national enforcement priorities are focusing on significant environmental risks and non-compliance patterns.

OECA had a total employee workforce of approximately 3,400 environmental professionals in the EPA’s Headquarters and 10 Regional offices.  The OECA special agents are fully authorized federal law enforcement officers working on environmental crimes through 46 field offices nationwide.

The Office of Compliance in the OECA supervises the activities that ensure the regulated community is complying with environmental laws and regulations that address prevention and control of hazards associated with medical waste.

“Federal and State project managers are encouraged to use the entire panoply of enforcement approaches and tools to provide incentives for compliance with corrective action obligations. Regardless of the enforcement approach taken the desired outcome is the same: to protect human health and the environment.”

EPA RCRA Corrective Action Memo,

Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

In fiscal year 2007, the criminal enforcement program opened 10 percent more environmental crimes cases than in fiscal year 2006.  Criminal fines and restitution imposed on defendants also increased from the previous year by 46 percent, totaling $63 million.

Defendants who pled guilty or were found guilty of environmental crimes also were ordered by courts to spend $135 million on environmental projects.

 
(1)  MEDIC First Aid – Bloodborne Pathogens in the Workplace