Illegal Drug Labs and Environmental Damage
Meth Lab Cleanup Programs – Forensic Teams to Asses and Evaluate
The secret production of methamphetamine (meth) and other illegal drugs is a growing public health and environmental concern.
There are a number of cleanup programs that are focused on contamination detection, cleanup of the toxic waste and the decontamination and remediation of the environment in the USA and in countries across the world where crystal meth is a problem.
The Clandestine Drug Lab Cleanup Program of the State of Oregon, works to protect human health by assuring that properties formerly used in illegal drug manufacturing are properly evaluated, decontaminated, and are fit for re-occupancy.
Most Illegal Labs Manufacture Meth
Although people manufacture a variety of illicit drugs like Ecstasy and LSD in clandestine labs, methamphetamine accounts for 80 to 90 percent of total drug production in the clandestine labs in the USA.
According to Times online, Some 12 million Americans are estimated to have used crystal meth – aka Ice, a smokable form of crystal methamphetamine.
Crystal Meth is a major problem in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan. As Steve Holme, project manager of Derbyshire (UK) Police’s Drug Mapping Project, says, not only is there a huge risk to people making and taking the drug; it also endangers those living and working near a “lab.”
The biohazardous waste removal alone in crime scene cleanup is specialist area.
In South Africa, the drug is called TIK and has spread like wildfire among the youth 13 to 18 on the impoverished Cape Flats, near Cape Town.
What is a Meth Lab?
A meth lab is an illegal drug-manufacturing site containing materials required to manufacture meth.
Meth is made from common household items that are readily available at supermarkets, pharmacies, and hardware stores. These ingredients are mixed together or "cooked" to produce the drug.
Meth labs are mostly found in motel rooms, apartments, and rental properties. Other locations may include storage units, RVs, sheds, garages, trailers, vacant buildings, and campgrounds.
Two Types of Meth Labs
There are two main types of clandestine methamphetamine labs. One is the “super” lab — a large, highly organized lab, the other type is small-scale labs, often called “mom and pop” setups.
How Much of a Problem are Illegal Meth Labs
For every pound of meth cooked, there are six or more pounds of hazardous materials or chemicals produced. Surfaces in the meth lab and surroundings may become contaminated with this hazardous waste.
These hazardous materials are usually left on the premises or dumped down local septic systems. Often they are buried in backyards, open spaces, in ditches along roadways or poured down drains into the municipal sewer systems.
Clandestine methamphetamine labs cause three main types of harm:
- physical injury from explosions, fires, chemical burns, and toxic fumes
- environmental hazards that can remain after the lab has been abandoned.
- child endangerment.
Environmental Damage Resulting for the Toxic Waste
To address in part this growing environmental problem and the need for public health protection, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the United States has developed two types of chemical-specific information documents.
- The first set, technical support documents (TSDs), are referenced, multi-page publications, which contain important health and safety data,
- The second set, two-page fact sheets contain much of the same information as the corresponding TSDs; however, the details are presented in a more succinct, graphical format.
Other public health hazards that result from crystal meth production are the fact that toxic waste dumped into trashcans and commercial dumpsters could put sanitation workers at risk and water used to put out lab fires can also wash toxic chemicals into sewers.
Clean up of an Illegal Meth Lab
It is really important that members of the public do not attempt to clean up abandoned drug labs; in fact, the best thing to do is to contact the police to send in their forensic team to assess and evaluate. They will probably appoint a state licensed decontamination contractor. These contractors have hazardous materials training and know how to decontaminate meth lab properties in a safe and sustainable way.
Sources
US Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration, Guidelines for Law Enforcement for the Clean up of Clandestine Drug Laboratories. 2005
Methamphetamine Clean Up Fact Sheet. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) California Government
Forensic Magazine® August/September 2007, "What’s Cooking?"
Illegal Crystal Meth Lab.
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Crystal Meth Users
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