Biohazard cleanup in Port Townsend is done by independent companies that you hire directly; biohazard means blood, body fluids or other material that can carry disease. If a death or serious injury happened, the first step is letting police or the Jefferson County coroner finish their work and release the home before any cleaning begins. Biohazard Network connects you with an independent local company and does not do the cleanup itself.
This page explains who you may hear from in Port Townsend, how a company reaches the city, and which service matches what you found. When you contact a company, you agree on the work, the cost and the timing with that company.
Port Townsend at a glance
Port Townsend is an incorporated city and the county seat of Jefferson County. It sits at the tip of the Quimper Peninsula, with water and bluffs on three sides. When you describe the property’s location to a company, a nearby landmark can help, such as Fort Worden Historical State Park, which overlooks Admiralty Inlet at the entrance of Puget Sound, Chetzemoka Park, Jefferson Healthcare, Boat Haven Marina or the Port Townsend/Coupeville ferry dock.
Permits and code questions
Because Port Townsend is a city, permits and code issues inside city limits go through the city’s Planning and Community Development Department (PCD), not the county. PCD has Planning, Building and Code Compliance divisions. If cleanup leads to removing drywall, flooring or other parts of the home, ask the company you hire whether a building permit is needed and who will request it.
How a company reaches Port Townsend
Companies that serve the city may come from the Kitsap side, from elsewhere on the Olympic Peninsula, or by ferry. From the Edmonds/Kingston ferry or Poulsbo area, WSDOT’s directions cross the Hood Canal Bridge on Highway 104, then take the Port Ludlow/Chimacum/Highway 19 exit and follow that highway to the Port Townsend dock. WSDOT also says there are no convenient alternate routes between Kitsap and Jefferson counties.
That matters if the bridge is closed. It closes to road traffic whenever it opens for passing vessels, and when it is out of service, the detour through Shelton via SR 3 and US 101 adds about three hours. From the Olympic Peninsula side, WSDOT’s directions follow Highway 101 east, then SR 20 east into town, where SR 20 becomes Sims Way and then Water Street near the ferry dock.
On the Port Townsend / Coupeville ferry route, extreme tidal conditions may interrupt service. None of this changes what needs to happen, but it is fair to ask any company where its crew is based and what it does if the bridge or ferry is not running.
Who handles a death here
In Jefferson County, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office1 serves as coroner. A coroner is the official whose role is to determine cause and manner of death. Washington law, RCW 68.50.010, places certain deaths under the coroner’s jurisdiction, including sudden deaths without recent medical attendance, deaths from unknown causes and deaths under suspicious circumstances.
For a family, this means the home may stay closed until police or the coroner’s office releases it. Scene release is the point when those officials say their work is done and others may enter. A cleanup company should not start before then. For questions about the investigation, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office1 can be reached at 360-385-9180.
The local health department
Jefferson County Public Health2 is the health department for Port Townsend. Its programs include the On-Site Sewage Program, the Solid Waste Program, Home Syringe Disposal and Code Compliance, along with the Jefferson County Public Health Concern/Complaint Action Request for Environmental Health. Which of these, if any, matters to you depends on what you found; the service sections below point to the likely ones. Jefferson County Public Health can be reached at 360-385-9400.
Cleanup services in Port Townsend
Unattended death cleanup
An unattended death is one where a person died alone and was not found right away. Unattended death cleanup covers cleaning and disinfecting the affected area once the home is released. Disinfection means using products that kill germs on surfaces after visible material is removed.
Crime and trauma scene cleanup
Crime and trauma scene cleanup is for homes or businesses affected by violence, a serious injury or an accident. It also covers cleanup after someone has died by suicide. Ask the company how it protects your family’s privacy.
Hoarding cleanup
Hoarding cleanup helps when the person living in the home has more belongings than the space can safely hold. Hoarding is a recognized condition, and a respectful plan lets the person or family decide what to keep and what they choose to let go.
Blood and bodily fluid cleanup
Blood and bodily fluid cleanup is for smaller incidents, such as an injury at home or in a rental. The concern is bloodborne pathogens, which are germs carried in blood that can cause disease. Porous materials, meaning things like carpet, padding and upholstery that soak up liquid, may need to be removed rather than cleaned.
Odor removal
Odor removal means fixing a problem at its source rather than covering it up. Odor removal finds and removes what is causing a lingering odor, then treats the air and surfaces. It can follow another service or stand on its own.
Sewage and biohazard waste
Sewage and biohazard waste cleanup covers sewage backups and the safe removal of items such as used needles. Sharps are items like hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpel blades and lancets, and Washington’s biomedical waste law lists them as sharps waste once they are removed from their original sterile package. If the home has a septic system, the related county program is Jefferson County Public Health2’s On-Site Sewage Program.
If water, fire or mold damage is part of the picture, see how biohazard cleanup fits with restoration.
Checking a company before you hire it
Ask any company how it follows OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup, written by the IICRC (the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit organization for the inspection, cleaning and restoration industries). You can also look the business up yourself with the Department of Labor & Industries3 (L&I) tool called Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business3, and our certifications guide explains what each of these means.
Other questions to ask
- Will you work with my homeowners insurance, which sometimes covers this work?
- How will you bill me, and what is included in the price?
- How do you handle privacy for the family or tenants?
- When can you start once the home is released?
Usually covered: Homeowner insurance protects your home and belongings from damage caused by specific risks, says the Insurance Commissioner’s page on how home insurance works4. Personal property coverage includes your furnishings and personal items, such as your TV, clothing and dishes, the same page says.
Usually not covered: Exclusions in home contracts may include certain events, such as flood or earthquake, says the Insurance Commissioner’s insurance glossary5. Standard homeowner policies also do not cover sewer or drain backups, says the Commissioner’s page on being underinsured.
Ask your insurer: “Without filing a claim yet, can you tell me if my policy covers biohazard cleanup in my home, and what limits apply?” Source: Filing a homeowner insurance claim (Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner)
For other parts of the county, see the Jefferson County page or the Port Ludlow page.