States Define Meth Guidelines PDF Version of Article

States Define Methamphetamine Cleanup Operations

By Keith Desserich

No doubt you’ve heard about the growing methamphetamine or clandestine drug lab problem.  If you’re a resident of the Midwest, chances are that you are on the frontlines of a growing problem that has resulted in more than just an 11 o-clock news story.  For those involved in mold remediation, it may have also resulted in a growing sector of your business that seems like the next wave.  But before you add “illegal lab cleanup” to your truck decals, take a minute to review your local and state laws.  Often these guidelines will not only provide structure to your cleanup operations, but they may also define what companies may provide these services. 

Starting with Washington State in 1996, states began to acknowledge the methamphetamine problem and the hazardous nature with cleanup operations.  Some states, such as Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona and Minnesota have undertaken the task of not only providing guidance, but making individual advancements in this field.  Other states have merely adopted others’ guidelines, or have not passed any guidelines at all.  Frequently you will notice that most state governments will release “guidelines” rather than “regulations” (although there are some exceptions) and that some will require that contaminated properties are added to a statewide list for publication.  This not only forces property owners to resolve the issue in a satisfactory issue, but it may also require post-testing to assure that the remediation efforts were successful.  On the certification front, some state governments go so far as to certify remediation contractors, but most concentrate on the Certified Industrial Hygienists’ abilities and certifications as a method of ensuring proper cleanup. 

Either way, it is a growing problem without national consensus that builds strictly on precedent.  While the guidelines may be more clear than the mold industry has ever been, you will find that the guidelines for methamphetamine cleanup can and do change as our knowledge on the subject increases with experience.

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