Hospital Linens Determined to be Non-Hazardous

There were no hazardous substances in the linens that made a Sumner linen company employee sick on Tues., Dec. 13, the Department of Ecology reported.

“After testing the materials there did not appear to be anything hazardous,” said DOE spokesperson Linda Kent. “The investigators did not find anything unusual.”

Cleaning solutions in the materials are thought to be at fault.

A Northwest Healthcare Linens employee called 911 after he touched some items transported from St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood that made him sick. He was the only employee at the Sumner office and took the linens outside in a bin.

Several businesses in the 142nd St. industrial business complex shared with the linen company were forced to shut down early Tuesday during the investigation.

East Pierce Fire and Rescue first responded to the scene but the DOE took over the investigation after hazardous substances were thought to be a factor.

The cause of the employee's illness remains unknown at this time.