Landfill rejects ash from Ebola victim’s things

KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Louisiana waste disposal site says it won’t accept the ashes generated when a Texas Ebola victim’s belongings from his apartment were incinerated and a judge has signed an order temporarily blocking the disposal in the state.

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell had sought the order. Caldwell’s office said state district Judge Robert Downing signed it Monday afternoon.

Chemical Waste Management Inc.-Lake Charles said in news release that it is permitted to accept such material and that it poses no threat to the environment or human health. But, the company says, “we do not want to make an already complicated situation, more complicated.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said during a news conference that the virus is not considered to be hardy in the environment and that incineration and chemical treatment of the infected waste is sufficient to remove any risk.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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