Vallejo, California is a waterfront city located in the San Francisco Bay Area that is home to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. With a population of just over 120,000 residents, it also served as the temporary state capitol twice in California’s history. A number of museums and cultural attractions call Vallejo home as well as a bustling waterfront, shopping, and nightlife scene.

With all of these attractions to draw in visitors and entertain the large resident population, a biohazard exposure incident would be devastating to any business or establishment in the area. Eco Bear is here to handle any and all of your biohazard needs!

What Is a Biohazard?

To understand the potential risks and complications, we must first define what a biohazard is. The Center for Disease Control states that biohazardous materials are infectious agents or biological materials that present a risk to the health of humans, animals, or the environment. This includes:

  • Parasites
  • Viruses
  • Bacteria
  • Fungi
  • Toxins
  • Other – any biological agent that poses a risk of harm to living organisms or the environment

How Common Is a Biohazard?

At first glance, the general public would be inclined to believe that biohazard risks are low and uncommon in frequency. A simple look at the possible sources of these materials would clearly show that to be incorrect. Human or animal blood, feces, urine, tissue, bodily fluids, hypodermic needles, street drugs, commercial or industrial chemicals are all biohazardous material and are, unfortunately, not rare to come across in our society.

Homeless encampments, crime scenes, unattended deaths, floods, and water leaks are all possible biohazards that need appropriate treatment.

Homeless Encampments

Those individuals who are experiencing homelessness, and are unwilling to accept placement into a shelter, will very typically create their own home camp. Without the benefits of modern plumbing and running water, a makeshift latrine, in the best cases, is the only way to contain human excrement. In the worst cases, a designated spot on the ground has served as the preferred restroom facilities. Improperly treated human waste is a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and a serious health hazard for anyone exposed to it.

Intravenous drug use is on the rise and homeless parties are no more immune to the effects of addiction than the rest of society; however, those with no safe way to dispose of the related paraphernalia are likely to throw used needles into the refuse pile. Those needles may contain traces of human blood, the narcotics ingested, or possibly both. Human blood is a significant biohazard and can put any exposed person at risk for contracting:

  • HIV/AIDS
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • MRSA

Crime Scenes/Unattended Deaths

Despite living in one of the safest periods of human history, violent crime is something that affects each and every community. Vallejo averaged a crime rate that was higher than 95.2% of other communities based upon City Data statistics for the year 2018. Murder, rape, robbery, and arson, while reported at lower levels than in 2017, were still significantly higher than the national average.

In the aftermath of a violent crime, once all the investigative personnel are gone, the property owners, who may very well be victims themselves, are left to return the crime scene to its prior state. This may entail cleaning blood, bodily fluids, and other contaminants from the area, which exposes the untrained to many of the same risks that we have already discussed.

Unattended deaths, where a deceased party is not discovered for an extended period of time, present their own set of unique challenges. The process of decomposition begins within only a few hours after death and progresses rapidly; a body in an advanced state of decomposition will be extremely difficult to remove in its entirety and leaves behind lasting signs in its place.

There is no reason to re-victimize owners, family members, or employees, or otherwise endanger their personal safety, by allowing the scene to be cleaned by the unprepared.

Water Leak/Flooding

When a property is damaged is by water, whether through flooding or a water leak, mold is a dangerous by-product. Even with proper drying techniques, mold may find its way into hidden locations and not make itself known until someone falls ill due to the exposure. Improper cleaning can expose both the person completing it plus may even result in the re-growth of mold due to inadequate remediation efforts.

Our Process

Eco Bear uses a four-step process of cleaning, sanitizing, deodorizing and restoration to bring the location back to its ready-for-use state. Our employees are trained in the use of, and equipped with, all necessary personal protective equipment to safeguard themselves from any hazards they come across. Let us safely revitalize your property from any biohazard you may experience.

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