A sewage backup, a failed septic system, discarded needles or a buildup of rodent droppings in Port Ludlow is cleaned up by an independent biohazard cleanup company that you hire directly. The first step is to keep people and pets away from the area and, if a septic system has failed, to contact Jefferson County Public Health1. Biohazard Network can connect you with an independent local company; we do not do the cleanup ourselves.
Finding sewage in a crawl space or needles in a vacant rental is upsetting, and it is normal not to know where to start. This page explains what the work involves, what to do first, and what to ask the company you choose.
What this service covers
A biohazard is any material that can carry germs able to make people sick. This page is about contamination that is not tied to a death or a crime: sewage backups and septic failures, sharps (needles, syringes, lancets and blades), rodent droppings and nests, and contaminated material left behind in rentals, vacant properties and businesses. If blood or other bodily fluids are involved, see blood and bodily fluid cleanup in Port Ludlow. If belongings have built up in a home over time, hoarding cleanup in Port Ludlow covers that separately. A former drug lab is a different job: in Washington, clandestine drug lab decontamination workers, supervisors and contractors must be certified through the Department of Health’s Drug Lab Cleanup Program.
Why ordinary cleaning is not enough
Sewage soaks into porous materials, meaning things like carpet, drywall, insulation and upholstery that absorb liquid, where wiping cannot reach. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) says to hire a cleaning professional if a moldy area has been contaminated by sewage, and wet materials left in place can grow mold. Rodent droppings are a separate risk. DOH says infected deer mice can shed hantavirus in their urine, saliva and droppings, and that people can be exposed by breathing contaminated dust after disturbing or cleaning droppings or nests.
What to do first
- Keep everyone out of the affected area and close the door if you can.
- If sewage is backing up, stop running water and flushing toilets.
- Do not vacuum or sweep droppings. DOH2 warns this stirs up dust and notes that a dust mask does not protect against viruses.
- Leave needles and syringes where they are. Do not pick them up by hand.
- Take photos before anything is moved. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) tells renters not to throw damaged things away yet, because the insurer may want to inspect them, and owners may want to follow the same caution.
For a failed septic system, Jefferson County Public Health1 runs an On-Site Sewage Program; its phone number is 360-385-9400. DOH2 says there is no evidence hantavirus spreads from one person to another. If you have a health question after an exposure, the Port Ludlow Clinic (Jefferson Healthcare) offers primary care.
What to expect from the company you hire
The crew should wear protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection and breathing protection. Ask how they will set up containment, which means sealing off the work area so contamination does not spread to clean rooms. Ask which materials they plan to remove and which they can clean, and request that in writing. After removal comes disinfection, which means applying products that kill germs on surfaces. Lingering odor is handled only after the source is gone; odor remediation in Port Ludlow explains that step. Ask for photos, a written scope and a list of removed items for your insurance file.
Before you hire, ask whether the crew works under OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard3, 29 CFR 1910.1030 (bloodborne pathogens are germs carried in blood and some body fluids), and whether the company follows the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup (IICRC is the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit for the cleaning and restoration industries). Then look the business up on the Department of Labor & Industries4 (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business4, and read Biohazard Cleanup Certifications Explained for what the results mean.
How the process works
Assessment and plan
The company inspects the area, finds where contamination has spread, and writes a plan for what will be removed and cleaned.
Removal and cleaning
Affected porous materials are cut out and bagged. Hard surfaces are cleaned and then disinfected.
Disposal of waste
Waste goes out through regulated channels, not a household bin. Washington’s definition of biomedical waste, meaning medical-type waste that state law singles out for special handling, is limited to the types listed in RCW 70A.228.010, and that list includes sharps waste. Under rules of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC), a company that collects, transports and disposes of biomedical waste must keep an operating plan that holds it apart from other solid waste until treatment or disposal. The UTC also says companies must obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity before transporting solid waste for compensation. Ask the company who will haul the waste away and where it goes. Jefferson County Public Health1 also lists a Solid Waste Program if you have questions.
Handoff to restoration
Once the biohazard is removed, drying and rebuilding can follow. How biohazard cleanup fits with water, fire and mold restoration explains that overlap.
Insurance questions to ask
The OIC says you can ask your agent or company whether a loss is covered without filing a claim. It also says most homeowner policies don’t cover gradual leaks. You have the right to choose your own contractor for covered repairs, and the OIC warns that signing a contractor’s assignment of benefit form could affect your rights. Landlords should know the OIC says a landlord’s policy does not cover a renter’s personal property.
Usually covered: If your home is on a sewer system, sewer backup coverage can be added to a home policy as an optional endorsement, says the Insurance Commissioner’s flood insurance page5.
Usually not covered: A standard home policy does not cover sewer backup, but it can be added as an optional endorsement, says the Insurance Commissioner’s flood insurance page5. If you rent, your landlord’s or property management company’s policy covers the building but not your belongings, says the Commissioner’s renter insurance page.
Ask your insurer: “Does my policy include a sewer backup endorsement, and does it cover this backup?” Source: Learn how home insurance works (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)
Port Ludlow and Jefferson County offices
Jefferson County’s Community Development (DCD) manages building permits, code compliance and land use review, so it is the office to ask if repairs after cleanup need a permit. Jefferson County Public Health1 lists Code Compliance and a Jefferson County Public Health Concern/Complaint Action Request for Environmental Health for environmental concerns at a property.
The State Route 20 corridor is the major link between Port Townsend, the county seat, and the unincorporated parts of the county, so ask a company where it is based and how it will reach you. If a crew would travel on the Port Townsend / Coupeville ferry route, ask about a backup plan, since extreme tidal conditions may interrupt service.
If what you found involves a death, Jefferson County’s Prosecuting Attorney’s Office serves as coroner, whose role is to determine cause and manner of death; see unattended death cleanup in Port Ludlow.
Who to call first
In an emergency, call 911.These official offices may be part of the first steps. They are government pages, not ours.
- Jefferson County Public Health (opens in a new tab)For local health questions, such as a home that was used as a drug lab.
- Washington Crime Victims Compensation Program (L&I) (opens in a new tab)If a crime happened, it may help with some costs, such as funeral expenses. It doesn't pay for cleanup.
- Verify a contractor (L&I lookup) (opens in a new tab)Look up whether a company is a registered contractor before work starts.
- Washington State Department of Health (opens in a new tab)State health rules, such as for drug lab cleanup and hantavirus.