Pubdate: Mon, 07 Mar 2005
Source: Muskogee Daily Phoenix (OK)
Copyright: C2005 Muskogee Daily Phoenix
Contact: http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3319
Author: Elizabeth Ridenour, Phoenix Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

POLICE MOP UP METH LABS DRUG'S RESIDUE CAN CAUSE SAFETY PROBLEMS

It's called meth, poor man's cocaine, crystal meth, ice, glass and speed. 
Users inject it, snort it and smoke it. What they ingest is a mixture of 
deadly chemicals. And, when they "cook" it, methamphetamine leaves behind 
dangerous substances in walls, carpets and duct work. Those residues could 
affect others.

"You can't be around acid, toluene, Drano and lye and it not have some 
effect on you," said Richard Slader, Fort Gibson chief of police.

Many of the contaminants used in meth labs can be harmful.

Breathing problems, respiratory irritation, skin and eye irritation, 
headaches, nausea and dizziness are some of the effects of exposure to the 
chemicals. High exposures, even for a short period of time, can cause death 
or severe lung damage and skin or throat burns, according to the Oklahoma 
Department of Environmental Quality.

Meth labs commonly have a sweet or strong odor such as ether or ammonia. 
Such labs commonly generate noticeably large amounts of trash containing 
empty antifreeze containers, camping-fuel cans, battery parts, stained 
coffee filters, drain cleaners and glassware.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, methamphetamine is 
the primary drug of choice in Oklahoma. An equal number of men and women 
use the drug. Local small "mom and pop" laboratories continue to be a 
significant problem throughout Oklahoma, according to the DEA.

But when it comes to rules and regulations about cleaning up homes, 
apartments, motel rooms or other structures that have been used as meth 
labs, Oklahoma has none.

"In fact there are only seven states in the United States that do," said 
Monty Elder, spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Quality.

It's so dangerous that

Slader has reported finding three meth labs since the first of the year. 
Three of his officers have been trained in lab cleanup as have officers 
with the Muskogee police and sheriff's departments.

"They're trained to tear those things down and seize the chemicals," he said.

Before their training, Slader's men would have had to wait for the Oklahoma 
State Bureau of Investigation to arrive and perform the cleanup.

"You were there hours upon hours," Slader said. "Now, it's cut it way down."

The OSBI has provided several thousand dollars worth of equipment that 
Slader's men use to clean up labs. The equipment is stored in a trailer 
that Slader's office purchased with drug forfeiture money.

"This is one of the first things we'll use to see if it's safe to enter," 
said Sgt. Joe Hughart, displaying a gas monitor.

They also use special suits when entering homes where meth is cooked.

The gas monitor checks the level of dangerous phosphine gas, a byproduct of 
red phosphorus cook, he said. Police also have an eye-wash station, 
self-contained breathing apparatus, a generator, lights, gloves, equipment 
to test substances and numerous other items.

"When they put that stuff on and go in there, they're risking their lives," 
Slader said.

Fort Gibson officers have used the trailer and equipment about a dozen 
times over the past year.

After the hazardous chemicals are removed, Fort Gibson officers can take up 
to two five-gallon bucketfuls to the OSBI to be destroyed. If they have 
more than that, they contact the DEA, which calls out contractors who deal 
with hazardous chemicals.

Warning

Even after the obvious chemicals are removed, what's left? Residue remains 
in carpets, drapes, clothing, heating and air ducts and even plumbing. Some 
homes are used regularly to manufacture meth.

"I think the big question is 'How long has the lab been there?' " said Dick 
Huitt, District 15 Drug Task Force field supervisor in Muskogee.

If a small amount has been "cooked" one time in a motel room, the danger is 
significantly less than a residence where meth is manufactured over and 
over again, he said.

"One of the last ones we did, we had been there two or three times before," 
Slader said.

"I don't know of a motel here where there hasn't been one," Huitt said.

If police suspect methamphetamine has been manufactured in one place for a 
lengthy period of time, a building inspector will be called in and close 
off a room until everything has been replaced, Slader said.

"We've had a couple over here they've actually torn down," he said.

"Just about everything in a lab by itself will kill you," Hughart said.

And different kinds of labs present different kinds of dangers.

"If it's a pop-bottle lab and plastic hoses, there would be more 
carcinogens," Huitt said. "Some buy expensive glassware and have some 
fairly sophisticated stuff."

When members of the drug task force find a meth lab, they call the DEA, 
which has a contract with a company that specializes in cleaning up 
hazardous materials. The task force then places a DEA placard on the door 
that warns anyone who enters the premises to use caution due to the 
possible presence of hazardous chemicals.

One of the telltale signs a lab has been in a residence is rust.

"The fumes make metal rust prematurely in buildings where meth is 
manufactured for a long period of time," Huitt said.

What others do

"Colorado has recently passed legislation addressing this issue," Elder 
said about structure cleanup. "In Oklahoma, we really don't have any kind 
of rules, laws or regulations."

The only law Oklahoma has that addresses labs found in residences pertains 
to the sale of a home. If a home where a lab was confiscated is put on the 
market, the seller is obligated to disclose that information.

"The information goes onto the deed," Huitt said. "A new buyer has to know 
that."

Kansas passed its Chemical Control Act in 1999, and initiates an education 
and notification program and a chemical cleanup program associated with 
meth labs.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports that meth residues 
may be fatal to young children. They also note that benzene, a potential 
meth chemical, is known to cause cancer.

As a response to the growing problem, the Kansas agency and its contractor 
will remove lab waste, bulk chemicals and obvious contamination in a 
structure. That may include surfaces such as walls, counters, floors and 
ceilings, which are porous and can hold contamination from the meth cooking 
process.

After the agency completes a cleanup, the air is checked to see if 
additional monitoring is needed.

If it is, an order is posted prohibiting use of the property, and the 
property owner will have to perform a thorough cleanup and then have air 
samples analyzed. The results must then be submitted to the state before 
the space can be occupied.

If a person owns a rental property in Kansas that has contained a meth lab, 
it is the owner's responsibility to provide documentation that the 
residence is safe for human occupation.

Sidebar

Consequences of meth use

* Effects of usage include addiction, psychotic behavior and brain damage.

* Withdrawal symptoms include depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, 
aggression and intense cravings.

* Chronic use can cause violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, 
auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, delusions and paranoia.

* Damage to the brain caused by meth usage is similar to the effects of 
Alzheimer's disease, stroke and epilepsy.

Source: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

What does meth look like?

* Typically, meth is a white powder that easily dissolves in water.

* Another form of meth, in clear chunky crystals, is called crystal meth or 
ice.

* Meth also can be in the form of small, brightly colored tablets. The 
pills are often called by their Thai name, yaba.

Steps to clean up a former meth lab

* Air out the property before and during cleanup.

* Before entering the property to clean, put on personal protective 
equipment such as gloves, protective clothing and eye protection. 
Respirators that offer protection against vapors are recommended.

* Remove all unnecessary items and dispose of them properly.

* Remove all visibly contaminated items or items that have an odor.

* Clean all surfaces using proper household cleaning methods and proper 
personal protection.

* Clean the ventilation system.

* Leave plumbing cleanup to the experts.

* Air out the property for three to five days.

* If odor or staining remains, have your home evaluated by a professional.

* Dispose of clothing, gloves, bushes and rags used during the cleaning 
process.

* Review additional guidance on personal decontamination provided by local 
law enforcement.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager