Project:  Bird and Bat Waste Abatement

Client:  Western Mental Health Institute, Bolivar, Tennessee

Summary:  This project called for the removal of large amounts of Bird and Bat feces, feces-impacted debris, removal of live birds and bats for relocation, de-contamination of old patient files scheduled for destruction, and cleaning of all horizontal and vertical surfaces from vacant floors of an operating state facility in West Tennessee.

The challenge of this project was to protect the “abatement team” and the administrative staff and workers within the WMHI facility from the potential of exposure to infectious spores and micro-organisms inherent in bird and bat feces (a breeding ground for histoplasmosis and cryptococcus) during the abatement activities.

Deployment of a Guzzler Dry Vacuum truck required the implementation of an in line water ring misting system and placement of a 300 foot long effluent exhaust hose to channel harmful effluent discharge away from the facility. Additionally, the work area (4th floor, attic, stairwells, and towers) made it necessary to pipe the vacuum hose on the outside of the facility to protect WMHI personnel on the floors below.

Over 12 tons of bird and bat feces was successfully removed from the facility, along with large amounts of impacted debris and carcasses from the completed abatement project. Technicians HEPA vacuumed, wiped and disinfected 120,000 sf of surface area.

The total time required for successful completion of the WMHI abatement project was 18 days.

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