Meth Testing
Meth Testing & Detailed Forensic Laboratory Analysis Methamphetamine or Meth has become one of the most prevalent drugs of choice around Australia. t is consumed primarily by smoking or injection, Illicit manufacture of meth contaminates homes, rental properties, vaccation and holiday homes such as Airbnb, hotel, motels, farm houses and even work vehicles. Meth can be cooked relatively quickly and is invisible to the naked eye when it deposits as meth residue on surfaces. To the unsuspecting new home owner or new tenant, it is difficult to detect unless there is evidence of chemical odours, chemical waste or stains from spills. In most cases, physical evidence is removed or painted over prior to rent or sale.
Risks to the general public are great in particular those homes in close vicinity to a meth lab. The risk of explosion, chemical fumes and chemical contamination can occur at any time a clandestine cook-up is conducted and residences in all communities around Australia should remain vigilant in order to detect properties manufacturing even small quantities of meth. If you suspect illicit drug manufacturing is taking place by a concealed meth lab in your area, you should contact authorities immediately.
Meth, its precursor’s including poisonous chemicals are released during manufacture allowing vapours to escape making the atmosphere explosive and deadly to breathe. Properties across Australia are regularly contaminated by small scale meth manufacture which also includes contamination from meth smoking. Property Manager in most cases are unaware of the physical signs of meth contamination during quarterly inspections or before new tenants move in. This is by far the biggest risk for new tenants and property managers and owners alike when visiting the property.
It should be noted that when Meth is smoked, unlike Tobacco which deposits a visible yellow/orange residue on all surfaces and awful smell within a home, meth residue is much more sinister and does not leave any visible residue or detectable odour that can be easily identified.
Meth when smoked is inhaled and blown out as pure Meth vapour, it floats in and around the inside of your home attaching to duct particles in the air of your dwelling or vehicle and deposits as pure meth contaminated dust on all surfaces it comes in contact with.
Testing is the only way to determine whether your property has been used for the manufacture meth or if meth has been smoke within your home, unit or apartment. Workplaces and work vehicles are also affected by meth residue contamination and should be tested by a suitably qualified meth testing expert. ENCO expert team of university qualified consultants can inspect and identify if your property is contaminated from smoking or manufacture.
When children come into contact with surfaces that are contaminated with low levels of meth dust residue, their small growing bodies can be easily affected by simply touching meth contaminated surfaces in the home and through ingestion of meth dust, uptake of the drug has been proven to affect their mental and physical health and cause ADHD and other learning disorders. Adults on the other hand can also be affected by the same ingestion route however it has been hypothesised that larger quantities over prolonged periods are required to have similar affects as children. Immuno-compromised individuals have been shown to be affected extremely quickly by meth residue.
IS MY PROPERTY CONTAMINATED WITH METH?
It is impossible for a home buyer, homeowner, landlord, property manager or even tenant to know if a property is contaminated with Meth from smoking or manufacture unless the evidence is present which in most cases it is not.
Finding physical evidence such as paraphernalia such as meth pipes, empty meth bags, syringes or chemical stains, chemical odours or corrosion to metal surfaces. If you suspect your property has been contaminated with meth, ENCO can carry out a simple, fast and conclusive test, similar technology to COVID 19 rapid testing, that will indicate if meth is present or absent in your property. We are one of the leading suppliers of rapid meth test kits in Australia.
You can also purchase a meth test kit and conduct testing yourself in as little as 3 minutes to get a positive or negative meth result. Our test kits cost around $6 for each meth test.
Screening assessments are fast and give immediate results and are used when screening a property for methamphetamine. It is the most economical and cost affective type of test we provide to clients. Each room is sampled and results are given on the spot if meth is present.
CAN ENCO ASSIST WITH TESTING MY HOME OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY?
Yes, ENCO can, we conduct detailed meth testing assessments that follow in-house meth inspection protocols, NIOSH 9111 sampling methodologies, state and territory legislation, Australian Government Clandestine Drug Laboratory Remediation Guidelines [2011] and Australian Voluntary Code of Practice – Assessment, remediation and validation: Former clandestine drug laboratories and other
the recommendations by the standard for methamphetamine sampling. Individual samples are collected from surfaces in each room and sent to for independent laboratory analysis. This test is designed to determine the location and level of contamination is within the property. ENCO will provide a comprehensive Occupational Hygiene Report which also includes recommendations for decontamination as a part of a remediation action plan (RAP).
