Between 2018 and 2019, the homeless population in Santa Clarita, CA, increased by more than 60%. The job losses and economic insecurity of 2020 mean that the number of homeless people in the city has almost certainly increased. When shelters are full, homeless people will create a makeshift shelter wherever they can. They might do this on public or private property. If you identify a homeless encampment on your private property in Santa Clarita, you can turn to us at Eco Bear. As a women- and veteran-led homeless encampment cleaning company, we’re the right choice to clear your property of hazards and fully remediate it so that you, your guests and neighbors will be safe.
Biological Hazards in a Homeless Encampment
In a proper home, you have electricity, a refrigerator, a toilet and shower and a way to correctly dispose of your trash. In a homeless encampment, these things don’t exist. The residents of the encampment urinate and defecate on the site, leaving behind potentially infectious body waste. There are many homeless people with drug and alcohol abuse disorders, and they may vomit or bleed. Violence is common in the homeless community, and fights can also lead to blood and tissue on the site of a homeless encampment. The lack of sanitation often leads to foodborne illnesses, such as hepatitis A and E. coli.
A Homeless Encampment Could Make You Sick
Lack of clean water and plumbing allows E. coli, salmonella and C. diff to spread in homeless encampments. Fleas, lice, ticks and mosquitoes are parasites commonly found in the encampments. The rotting trash and human waste attracts flies, mice, rats and other vermin. The mice, rats and critters bring with them their own set of hazards. If you walk into a homeless encampment without the right personal protective equipment, a small scratch, accidental needle stick or breathing dust could put your health in serious risk. Some diseases that can be spread in a homeless encampment include:
- Hepatitis A from fecal material
- Hepatitis B and C from blood
- E. coli from feces
- C. diff from contaminated objects
- West Nile Virus from mosquitoes
- Plague and hantavirus from fleas
Our Eco Bear team wears full PPE when inspecting, cleaning, sanitizing and remediating homeless encampment sites. Safety is our top priority, and our disinfection and decontamination measures mean that you won’t have to worry about exposure to pathogenic bacteria and viruses from a homeless encampment on your property.
Other Hazards in a Homeless Encampment
Biological hazards aren’t the only threat in a homeless encampment. The encampment could also include broken glass. Drug paraphernalia is another threat to your health and safety when walking through a homeless encampment. If law enforcement quickly evacuates the encampment, it’s also possible that the individuals who were there could have left illegal drugs, dirty works, used needles and related items. Residents of homeless encampments often use wood stoves or grills for heat and cooking. Propane tanks, kerosene and similar fuels are hazardous and can contaminate the environment. We’re prepared to safely remove these and any other hazards present on the site.
Dangers Present in a Homeless Encampment
Think about how much garbage your household creates in one week. In a homeless encampment, there’s no garbage truck to haul it away. The trash accumulates. It could include soiled clothing, menstrual care products, rotted food and other hazardous items. These items decompose and release odors. Those foul smells attract rodents, mosquitoes and other pests to the property. Mice, rats and mosquitoes won’t stay in one place. They’ll check out your property and the neighboring properties. Combustible items are also present in homeless encampments. Piles of paper, clothing and other materials could easily catch fire from a smoldering cigarette or campfire. In Santa Clarita, all it takes is a spark to ignite these combustible materials, and a fire could spread throughout the encampment and to your home or business. We clear hazards including:
- Combustible items
- Biohazards
- Soiled and contaminated items
- Rotted food and trash
- Fuel and matches
Why You Shouldn’t Try To Clean a Homeless Encampment Yourself
Cleaning biohazard, combustible or hazardous materials yourself puts your health and safety at risk. A cut, puncture, laceration or needle stick could infect you with dangerous germs. Figuring out how to dispose of human or medical waste is a challenge. When you choose Eco Bear for homeless encampment cleaning services, you don’t have to spend time dealing with these details. We take care of all of it for you. We use safe removal and proper disposal procedures for each type of waste present in the homeless encampment. We document our processes so that you have proof your property has been thoroughly and properly cleaned.
What Makes Eco Bear the Right Choice for Homeless Encampment Cleaning
Dealing with a homeless encampment on your property is stressful. The physical labor of removing what’s left after the homeless occupants leave the property is intense. We have a team of professionals who are specifically trained on how to do this. We use professional-grade disinfectants and equipment to clear the site. Our multi-step process includes:
- Removal of medical, biological and hazardous waste
- Proper disposal of contaminated items
- Clearing of trash
- Disinfection for bacteria, viruses and parasites
- Decontamination of surfaces
- Cleaning of markings and graffiti
- Complete clearing of personal property from the encampment
Time is of the essence. We don’t waste a minute in removing homeless encampments from your private property. Once the occupants are removed by law enforcement, we’re ready to enter the site and clean it. Our rapid response and completion times, professionalism, confidentiality and skills make us the right choice for homeless encampment cleaning in Santa Clarita.