Facts About Methamphetamine Labs

What is meth?

Methamphetamine or "meth" is a potent central nervous system stimulant that is highly addictive and cheap and easy to produce. Meth is derived from commonly available decongestants and diet aids containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine and "cooked" in clandestine meth labs. Available in pills, capsules, powder, or chunks, meth can be smoked, inhaled, injected, or ingested. Meth is not only detrimental to users and cookers (producers), but to individuals, especially children, who reside in the area in which the meth is smoked or cooked.

For more information, visit http://www.kci.org/meth_info/links.htm.

How is meth made?

Meth is "cooked" in clandestine labs set up just about anywhere. Over-the-counter cold remedies containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are used as precursor chemicals and are added to other chemicals, which are "cooked" to produce meth. Chemicals involved can include anhydrous ammonia, lye, red phosphorous, hydrochloric acid, battery acid, drain cleaner, lantern fuel, and antifreeze depending on the "recipe," of which there are many.

For more information, visit http://www.bhsj.org/meth/faq.htm#A5

Where are meth clan labs?

Meth clan labs can be set up anywhere from campgrounds and cars, to homes, barns, apartments, hotel rooms, and many other locations. Lab sizes range from small, portable labs known as "Mom and Pop" labs to larger, more permanent labs in structures, to "Super labs" that can produce up to 100 pounds of meth per cook. Meth labs may present chemical hazards such as acids, and hydrocarbons along with safety hazards including fires and explosions.

For more information, visit http://www.nmtf.us/methlablocations/methlablocations.htm

What are signs of a clandestine meth lab?

• Strong odors similar to fingernail polish, cat urine, or ammonia
• Iodine- or chemical-stained fixtures in kitchen and bath
• Propane tanks with blued fittings
• Excessive trash that includes large amounts of discarded containers/packaging for cold medicine containing ephedrine/pseudoephedrine, drain cleaner, antifreeze, denatured alcohol, lantern fuel, and red-stained coffee filters
• Bottles or jars with glass tubing
• Stained soil or dead vegetation

For more information, visit http://www.cityofsalem.net/police/Meth%20Lab%20Signs.htm.

How are meth lab sites cleaned?

(Following is a simple outline of the basic process. The procedure may differ by state or even by county. Consult your state or local health department for details.)

1. Following law enforcement seizure, bulk chemicals, containers, and other paraphenalia are removed from the site.
   
   
2. A government health agency declares the property unsafe for entry and posts a notice at the site.
   
   
3. Typically, a professional health and safety inspector or consultant assesses the site to determine extent of contamination and to create a cleanup plan.
   
   Some contaminants, including solvents, metals, salts, and corrosives, will remain on surfaces as well as in furniture, carpeting, drains, and HVAC systems and cause serious personal risk. The contamination can even extend to outside the structure as every pound of meth produced generates five or more pounds of hazardous waste. This waste is often tossed onto the ground, flushed down toilets, or dumped into drains. This creates dangerously contaminated soil, septic tanks and drain fields, and surface water.
   
   
4. An appropriately trained/certified cleanup contractor is called in to perform cleaning in areas designated by the plan and to dispose of hazardous material appropriately.
   
   
5. The inspector/consultant re-assesses after cleanup to determine if the site meets state cleanup criteria. This is achieved by visual inspection and by taking wipe samples for laboratory analysis.
   
   
6. If the site does not meet cleanup standards, the cleanup contractor returns to re-clean. Confirmatory wipe sampling is performed as many times as it takes for the site to meet cleanup standards. Once the site complies, the health agency will issue a certificate of re-occupancy.

What roles do tools such as MethAlert and MethChek Wipe Kits play?

MethAlert Color Wipe Kit *

MethAlert can establish the presence of meth residue on surfaces from 15 to 5000 micrograms/100 cm². Following are examples of how MethAlert can be used:

• Law enforcement determining if meth has been recently cooked or smoked in a suspect area.
• Social services personnel determining if meth has been cooked or smoked in a case home where children reside.
• Industrial hygienists or sanitarians called to investigate a suspect property for extent of contamination.
• Landlords testing for possible contamination in leased properties.
• A quick check for consultants determining travel of contamination in multi-room buildings that share an HVAC system such as hotels, apartments, and storage units.
• Firefighters or other first-responders checking non-disposable PPE to verify decontamination after responding to a meth lab site.
• Checking police cars or processing areas with meth suspects.

MethAlert Advantages

*MethAlert is a colorimetric test that detects the presence of methamphetamine residue on surfaces from 15 to 5000 micrograms/cm². Results should not be used for clearance purposes.

MethChek Immunoassay Wipe Kit ^†

MethChek is ideal for health inspectors and industrial hygienists involved in meth remediation and reoccupance. Kits are available with limits of identification relevant to state cleanup guidelines. These kits allow the inspector or industrial hygienist to check cleanup levels on-site to determine if cleanup was effective. Below are a few of the applications:

• Pre-cleanup assessment of a clandestine meth lab site to determine areas of minimal contamination versus areas of heavy contamination. May be used in conjunction with MethAlert.
  
  
• Aid the inspector/IH in creating a cleanup plan
  • Determine the appropriate level of PPE for the cleanup crews
    
    
• Post-cleanup level check on-site to determine if cleanup crews can be released or if more cleaning is required to reach state cleanup standards

MethChek Advantages

^†MethChek Kits are semi-quantitative immunoassay tests that detect low levels of methamphetamine residue on surfaces. They may be used to determine the need for cleaning in a specific area or the need for further cleaning on-site to reach state cleanup guidelines. Some states and counties require lab results from quantitative wipe sampling before issuing a re-entry certificate. Consult state meth cleanup guidelines.

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