Anyone out there well-versed in the healthcare/crematorium field? I had the following question come to me via an air inspector and would like to know if anyone knows of alternative body bags. Please read the attached... Tammy L. Allen Senior Environmental Specialist Pinellas County Environmental Management 512 S. Ft. Harrison Ave. Clearwater, FL 33763 (727) 464-4761 Fax (727) 464-3174 e-mail: tallen@co.pinellas.fl.us
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- Subject: DISASTER BAGS
- From: "Shea Jackson" <sjackson@co.pinellas.fl.us>
- Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 15:03:55 -0400
I HAVE FOUND THAT A CREMATORY IS INCINERATING BODIES FOR IN WHAT THEY TERM AS A DISASTER BAG. THESE BAGS CONSIST OF HCL,CO2 AND CO. THE HCL IS A DEFINATE NO NO. I WAS TOLD THAT THESE BAGS ARE USED BY THE FIRE, POLICE, COUNTY ETC, AND MANY DIFFERENT VENDORS. THE BODIES HEAVY OR BADLY DECOMPOSED CANT BE PUT INTO THE TYPICAL BODY BAG. THE BODY HANDLERS ARE THUS USING THESE 28 ML HERCULITE VINYL PLASTIC BAGS. DO YOU KNOW OF A SOURCE FOR HEAVY DUTY BAGS WHICH COULD MEET THEIR NEED AND NOT BE CHLORINATED PLASTICS, OR SOME OTHER HAZARDOUS POLLUTANT WHICH CAN NOT BE BURNED. WE ARE AT THIS TIME TELLING THE CREMATORY INVOLVED TO PROVE THAT THE BAGS THEY USE MEET THE PERMIT REQUIREMENT FOR .5% OR LESS OF CHLORINATED PLASTICS IN THE CONTAINERS THEY BURN, WHICH CAN BE NO LESS THEN 3 ML. IT APPEARS AT THIS TIME, THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO NOTIFY ALL THE COUNTY CREMATORIES OF THIS PROBLEM, AND POSSIBLY INFORM OTHER DISTRICTS ETC. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE, TO OFFER, AT THE SAME TIME. IF YOU NEED MORE INFO, GIVE ME A CALL, THANKS
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