According to a press release from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District in Champaign, IL, someone has been dumping placentas in the municipal sewage system. Yes, placentas. Over the past month (or so) three healthy human placentas have been found by Sanitary District workers. The press release indicates that people involved in home births should not dispose of placentas in the municipal swage system as placentas are considered "potentially infectious medical waste."
Oh wait, I've seen this one. Isn't this the one where the family goes on a vacation to Florida or somewhere where placentas are plentiful? Then the kid gets a baby placenta for a pet. But when they get home the dad flushes the troublesome placenta down the toilet. From there it gets in the sewers where it eats radioactive dogs or something and becomes a giant homicidal monster-placenta. Then it resurfaces and wrecks havoc on the city.
But apparently this is a serious issue. Nobody in Illinois wants rogue placentas lurking about.
The individual or individuals in the community that have been engaging in this practice must stop immediately and begin disposing of the medical waste associated with home births in an approved manner. Persons assisting with home births can contact the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Champaign for disposal guidance by calling (217) 278-5800. Local health authorities strongly encourage community members to alert the proper agencies if they have any information regarding the unauthorized disposal of medical waste.
The press release then goes on to explain exactly what a placenta is. Are there any adults out there who doesn't know what a placenta is? I mean, I know they've pared down sex ed in America to something akin to a Surgeon General warning (Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.), but give me a break.
If people don't know what a placenta is, maybe someone threw it in the toilet (or storm drain) by accident.
Stranger things have happened.
Oooooh no. Are you serious? This is almost a sad sad day. I'm not sure. It's one of the many seriously effed up things I've heard about.
ReplyDeleteIt's a real story. But they said the placentas were healthy, so I'm guessing someone is just cutting corners after the babies were born and tossing the afterbirth in the sewers instead of paying to have it "disposed of." I think there are much more serious things than this to worry about. It is an effed up story, though, isn't it?
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