For a number of years, methamphetamine has been a well-documented societal concern in our community. The usage and processing of methamphetamine in a property leaves chemical traces that can be harmful for the peoples.
What is meth?
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive medicine, commonly smoked, can be injected in a liquid. The medication affects the central nervous system and can become addictive from the very beginning. Meth can be manufactured easily, and many of the ingredients are found in house items.
How does a meth laboratory differ from a user site?
Some locations are there where meth users smoke the drug while on the premises. Other locations may be developed by people as meth laboratories who produce the drug for themselves or to sell it to other people. Meth precursor ingredients are mixed to produce the drug during manufacture. Many of these precursors are easily available.
Since the Meth Testing Hamilton labs are simple to set up, they can be located in any house. If the site has been used as a meth-laboratory, exposure is higher than if it was occupied by meth-users. This is especially true if output is high.
Will a house polluted with meth cause health problems?
Living in a property used for smoking or meth production may lead to a wide range of health problems. These unexplained health concerns can be the first hint that residents live in a contaminated building.
Health issues include dizziness, fatigue, sleep disturbances, behavioral problems, respiratory problems and skin rashes. There are more serious long-term issues still being studied, although recent research show that serious breathing problems and even cancers could happen.
Is it safe to say if my property is contaminated?
The only way to know for sure if your home is contaminated is by residual P Test.
DIY test kits, which offer a clear yes or no result, are available. If a yes is obtained from the initial testing, it would be recommended that a qualified meth testing technician must be contacted and thorough laboratory testing of the property must be done. Another alternative would be for the sampler to perform an initial screening test and to perform further sampling when an indicative level is derived.
How much work does decontamination involve?
The work necessary to get a property back to a standard depends on the nature of the contamination and if this site has been used merely to smoke the substance or as a meth production laboratory.
Meth Test laboratories need more remediation than the presence of the drug on a user's site. Chemicals and contaminants involved in the production process may remain in the property and the observable levels of meth and precursors in these properties are higher than in other sites.
Soft furniture including carpets and curtains should be removed and replaced. More extreme cases can include removing and disposing the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry surfaces plus other furnishings and equipment’s. Also parts of the property may need to be destroyed to ensure that the contamination has been completely removed.
