Public Counter Contaminated Currency and Coin Policy

Contaminated Currency is currency that has been damaged by or exposed to contaminants, poses a health hazard or safety risk, and cannot be processed under normal operating procedures. Contamination may result in currency emitting offensive odors and displaying mold-like conditions. In general, contamination may be caused by the following:

• Floodwater or any prolonged exposure to water or other liquids
• Exposure to blood, urine, feces or any other bodily fluids, including removal from any body cavity, corpse or animal
• Exposure to sewage
• Exposure to any foreign substance or chemical, including dye-packs, which may pose a health hazard or safety risk
• Mold or mildew
  
  

Handling Process

Immediately upon determining that the currency or coin is contaminated employees will put on gloves, and use caution while handling and bagging the contaminated currency.

Currency will be placed in plastic zip lock sandwich sized bags with each bill in a separate bag. Coin will be placed in a similar sized bag.

All bags will be placed in a larger plastic zip locked bag and the following will be written on the outside of the bag in permanent marker:

• Contaminated Currency
• List of denominations, number of bills (20x2, 10x3, etc) and number of coins (.25x2, .10x3, etc)
• Total of contaminated currency & coin.

The Treasurer-Tax Collector Contaminated Currency Report will be completed and paper clipped to the outside of the larger plastic bag.

The bag and report will be given to a supervisor or manager who will turn it over to one of the Managers in the Treasury.

For balancing purposes the “Contaminated Currency Sheet” will be completed and placed in the cash bag at the end of the day.

Taken from the Federal Reserve Bank Services – Contaminated Currency and Coin section