Is Your Home Contaminated with Methamphetamine?
Hundreds of houses in Pennsylvania were once methamphetamine labs, but the state does not require these homes to be properly cleaned before they are sold. As a result, many homeowners and tenants are unaware that their homes are contaminated. Additionally, the state does not have any standards for cleaning up former meth labs, and state police say they do not clean up after meth lab raids. Dr. Michael Lynch, medical director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center at UPMC, says meth "can actually get into the house, the walls, carpeting, flooring, the ceiling such that even years after methamphetamine has been created in a facility they can still find traces of methamphetamine leaching out even if it's been very thoroughly cleaned." Before buying or renting a home, experts suggest people contact local police to see if the home was involved in any drug activity, have the home inspector test for toxins, and check out the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's clandestine lab database.