Pubdate: Tue, 29 May 2007
Source: Haliburton County Echo, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007sOSPREY Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.haliburtonecho.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3972
Author: Matt James
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?208 (Environmental Issues)

METH LAB DIDN'T POLLUTE LAKE: MOE

Months after the discovery of one of the biggest meth  labs in 
Ontario, the Ministry of the Environment is  confident that the lab 
did not have an impact on  Tamarack Lake's water quality.

However, the ministry is still awaiting the results of  soil testing.

Police discovered the meth lab in a rental cottage on  the lake south 
of Gooderham in early winter. They  confiscated a large volume of 
meth and crystal meth but  did not know what had been done with the 
toxic waste  that was left over when the highly addictive drugs were  made.

John Steele, a media relations officer with the MOE,  says that, "all 
wastes have been removed from the  site." As well, the rental 
property's septic tank was  pumped by licensed hazardous waste 
carrier and disposed  of at a licensed facility.

However, because the lake and the ground were frozen  when the meth 
lab was discovered, the ministry could  not conduct a comprehensive 
set of tests until spring.

Of the water tests, Steele says "The ministry is  confident that the 
adjacent surface water body has not  been impacted by the activities 
at the meth lab."

MOE staff also took samples of the soil near the meth  lab in early 
May to confirm that no residual  contamination exists. The samples 
are currently being  analyzed at the MOE lab.

"Sample results should be received in six to eight  weeks," said 
Steele. "Once the sample results are  received, our tech support 
folks will analyze them and  we'll take appropriate action if necessary."

That action may include additional clean up of the  subsurface soils 
surrounding the cottage.

In regards to the rental cottage where the meth lab was  found, the 
ministry did not take any samples of the  buildings structure. The 
local health unit will  determine whether the building can once again 
be  occupied.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom