Pubdate: Fri, 04 Mar 2005
Source: Tennessean, The (TN)
Copyright: 2005 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Mike Madden
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BILL SEEKS FEDERAL HELP FOR METH-LAB CLEANUPS

EPA Would Set Guidelines, Rep. Gordon Proposes

WASHINGTON - Poisonous fumes leak into nearby rooms. Toxic chemicals
seep into carpets. And drug residue coats the walls.

Those are some of the lasting effects of methamphetamine labs, where
amateur chemists make the cheap, addictive drug that law-enforcement
officials around Tennessee and the country say has become a major
scourge. The labs can be set up anywhere - in hotel rooms, apartments,
sheds or cars.

Even after police find and shut a meth production site, the area
nearby can remain contaminated for as long as six months. With labs
proliferating rapidly - more than 1,200 were found in Tennessee alone
last year - the toxic waste they leave behind adds another layer of
damage the drug can do to communities.

Tennessee ranked third in the nation last year in meth lab-related
incidents, according to a federal database. Gov. Phil Bredesen has
made cracking down on meth labs a major priority.

Now federal environmental and science officials may be called in to
help set guidelines for state and local authorities to follow in
cleaning up former meth lab sites, so people who live nearby and
police who close the labs might not face as much toxic risk.

''There will always be people who decide to harm themselves by using
and manufacturing dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine,'' said U.S.
Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Murfreesboro, lead sponsor of legislation that
would develop health standards for dealing with meth lab sites. The
legislation ''is aimed at protecting innocent people whose lives are
endangered by these illegal activities.''

Gordon's bill would charge the Environmental Protection Agency and the
National Institute of Standards and Technology with developing
guidelines on cleaning up meth labs and updating state authorities on
the best techniques to ensure safety. It would also authorize $4.5
million for research over the next three years.

U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Pall Mall, is also a sponsor of the bill.

Most meth is made using home-grown recipes and an assortment of
everyday chemicals, experts told the House Science Committee yesterday
at a hearing on the legislation. Drug makers use cold medication
containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, then mix and cook in other
ingredients such as gasoline, rubbing alcohol, antifreeze, chlorine,
drain cleanser and chemical fertilizer.

All of the toxic byproducts can cause irritation to the eyes, throats
and skin of people exposed to them. They also can affect the nervous
system. Some long-term effects of exposure aren't known yet because
not enough research has been done, experts said.

For each pound of meth produced, 5 pounds of toxic waste remain,
Tennessee Tech University President Robert Bell told the committee.
Removing the waste can cost up to $20,000 per lab site, but restoring
the area so it's safe afterward can cost tens of thousands of dollars
more.

The legislation has bipartisan support on the Science Committee.
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