The lucrative business of cleaning crime scenes

7/21/2016 (Permalink)

Workers clean up an area surrounded by crime scene tape.

Despite a drop in violent crime across the United States, the crime-scene cleanup industry has boomed. Profits for the nearly 600 firms in the United States totaled more than $99 million in 2015, on revenues of $357.5 million, according to IBISWorld, a market research group. But those profits are sometimes reaped from those who can ill afford costs that may run into the tens of thousands of dollars when insurers do not pay.

Some say the field was not so crowded six years ago, and owners credit the boom to its depiction in popular media, including the indie film Sunshine Cleaning.

Weak or nonexistent government regulations, on such issues as training and proper cleaning standards, have allowed too many people to get into the business and are starting to drive down profits.

The lack of regulation has made cleaning companies rely on self-policing through the American Bio Recovery Association, which certifies operators and sets standards. But those rules are unenforceable, and the group simply asks that companies fall in line.

For consumers, the problem with biohazard removal is its price. Cleanups can cost from $1,000 to $40,000.

Bottom line, end of story is that biorecovery is not the same as having a fire or a flood in the house, As a result, there will be instances in which insurers won't pay the full bill, leaving it to consumers to shell out the rest.