American Red Cross Charged With Bio-Hazardous Was...( Teamsters File Charge ...),Health

Teamsters File Charges Against American Red Cross for Dumping Biomedical Waste into Open Refuse Dumpsters

ST. LOUIS, July 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union filed a complaint with the Environmental Investigations Division of the City of St. Louis today charging American Red Cross with dumping biomedical waste into the regular trash stream.

The complaint was filed after red biohazard bags were found in open garbage dumpsters outside of the Red Cross Blood Services Division Headquarters in St. Louis filled with trash headed for landfills.

"We have an obligation to make sure our employers are responsible stewards of the environment and are not engaging in practices that violate health or environmental regulations," said James P. Hoffa, Teamsters General President. "We believe that the American Red Cross also has a responsibility to the community to ensure that it is not endangering the public's health or violating the letter or spirit of state or federal environmental laws.

"Frontline Red Cross blood drive workers in the Missouri-Illinois Region have been fighting for a contract since October that respects employees, protects donors and keeps the blood supply safe," said Gary Cossarini, President of Teamsters Local 682 in St. Louis, Missouri. "This is just another sign that Red Cross Blood Services cares more about profits than keeping the public, donors and the blood supply safe."

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States and Canada.