Cleaning Up Clandestine Meth Labs
August 13, 2007
Police departments typically hire certified hazardous-material disposal companies to do the initial cleanup of a meth lab. Why don’t the police clean up the labs themselves? Because, there are known health risks associated with being in a meth lab.
If you happen to buy a home that was a former meth lab, you should be wearing a hazmat suit too. The problem is, you may not know you’re living in a hazardous environment. There are no mandates that meth labs be cleaned and tested before they get sold to a home buyer. I have a hard time understanding why the government is taking so long to protect American citizens from the financial consequences and health dangers that are inherent to meth lab homes. The longer America’s elected officials wait to protect innocent men, women, and children, the more tragic and the more costly the results will be, not only for them, but for all Americans.
Excerpts from: Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Series, Guide No. 16, Clandestine Methamphetamine Labs 2nd Edition, Michael S. Scott, Kelly Dedel
“Cleaning up clandestine methamphetamine labs is an enormously complex, time-consuming and costly undertaking. Seizing a lab potentially makes a police agency liable for some of the costs of cleaning up on-site hazardous materials. If the lab is operating when police find it, it must first be safely neutralized so that it does not explode or chemically contaminate the environment. Then, the immediate and apparent hazardous-materials must be cleaned up and disposed of safely.”
“Police usually contract with certified hazardous-material disposal companies for this task. Seizing even a small lab can take four or more hours. Storing evidence and conducting laboratory analysis of chemicals are similarly time-consuming and costly. Many jurisdictions are finding that the demands of processing evidence are straining their forensic laboratory resources.”
“Finally, there is the question of a more permanent cleanup (or remediation) of the site to eliminate the long-term hazards posed by residual chemicals. Much is still unknown about such hazards, so we do not fully know how serious the risks of exposure to contamination are. Consequently, many issues regarding the costs and responsibility for cleanup remain unsettled. There are few, if any, established standards for acceptable contamination levels.”
“Complete remediation is seldom done because of the cost, and owners abandon some property rather than undertake that task. Public health and environmental officials, rather than police, will likely have to take the lead on remediation. New legislation or regulations may be required to establish and enforce remediation standards.”
The “abandoned property” mentioned in the last statement, typically goes back to the note holder of the abandoned property. If you’re buying a foreclosed home do your homework before you close the deal. Banks may not tell you that the home was previously a meth lab. The law doesn’t require them to!
Comments
3 Responses to “Cleaning Up Clandestine Meth Labs”
What do you think?
wow…that’s about all i can think to say at the moment…wow…where do we go from here?
Cloud,
I think the best way to address this issue right now is to let as many people know about the problem as possible. Tell your friends about this site and ask them to send the information along to their friends.
It is the only way that I know of to help us and so many others, who are in a similar situation, get the kind of information and financial assistance that they need and deserve.
Referring them to this site will also help others from becoming an innocent casualty of the war on drugs in America.
Thank you for your comment and your support, Cloud. Stay safe!
As a meth lab decontamination contractor I can tell you that it is absolutely necessary to decontaminate these residences after they’ve been used to cook in. They are a toxic environment and you can become very sick and even die if you live in them. My company tries to provide a quality service that is extremely difficult to clean at an affordable price. Imagine cleaning something invisible to the naked eye. There’s a couple of things to consider when your house is busted and chemicals are removed from the residence. 1. How much is the house worth in good condition? 2. Insurance won’t pay for it, at least get quotes and make your judgement from there. 3. If you plan on moving back into the house you must have it decontaminated, or you might as well demolish it. The cleanup can be affordable and reasonable depending on how “dirty” the house is, how much stuff is inside the house, and how large the house is. I hope this sheds some light on the clean up process.