Contaminated materials outside the home:
If there is a broken sewer line outside the home or in a crawl space under the home, the first step is to put on protective clothing such as waterproof boots, gloves, eye protection and clothes that are either water resistant or disposable. A dust mask should be worn when cleaning to avoid breathing airborne microorganisms. Plastic ground liners, surface contamination, and heavily contaminated soil should be removed from the impacted area if possible. The remaining contaminated soil should be treated in place with a liberal application of slaked lime to reduce odor and enhance degradation of the organic matter. If the contaminated area is in the open, it should either be covered with clean dirt or temporarily fenced off to prevent accidental contact with the lime and any remaining contamination. Excavated soils may be remediated onsite by treatment with slaked lime and tilled frequently to provide oxygen to the naturally occurring microbes in the soil that
degrade the organic material. If onsite treatment is not feasible, or if it can’t be accomplished without creating a nuisance condition, contaminated soils and other materials removed from the impacted area may be disposed at any landfill willing to accept them.
