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. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin