Illegal drug labs are often used to make methamphetamine, also known as meth, speed or crank. These labs can leave behind harmful chemical residues and pose health risks to people who later live or spend time in the property.
Health Risks from Meth Labs
After law enforcement shuts down a meth lab, they usually remove the major equipment and chemicals. However, small amounts of harmful substances can remain on surfaces like floors, walls, counters, carpets, furniture, sinks, drains and air vents. These residues may be dangerous to anyone exposed to them.
What to Do If You Suspect a Property Was a Meth Lab
If you believe a property was used as an illegal drug lab, report it to the local law enforcement agency right away. Do not try to clean or enter the property without guidance.
What Happens After a Meth Lab Is Found
When law enforcement identifies a property as a drug lab, they will:
- Post a warning notice on the property
- Notify the property owner
- Notify the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s Environmental Health Program
The property will then be added to the Idaho Clandestine Drug Laboratory Site Property List. This helps ensure proper cleanup and protects future occupants.
Clandestine lab information
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) does not perform indoor air sampling or methamphetamine testing.
For guidance on how to address contamination from former meth labs, local agencies, property owners, contractors, and the public can refer to the following resources:
- IDAPA 16.02.24
Rules for Clandestine Drug Laboratory Cleanup - IDHW Cleanup Guidance Document
Instructions for cleaning up properties used as methamphetamine labs - Properties confirmed as former meth labs are added to the Clandestine Drug Lab Property List maintained by IDHW.
- To remove a property from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s Clandestine Drug Laboratory Site Property List, the property must be cleaned or demolished in compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
- Property owners can either hire a qualified cleanup contractor or choose to clean the property themselves.
- After cleanup, a qualified industrial hygienist must conduct clearance sampling to confirm the property meets cleanup standards. This professional may be a Certified Industrial Hygienist or a Registered Professional Industrial Hygienist, as defined in IDAPA 16.02.24.
- You can find qualified professionals at Association of Professional Industrial Hygienists.
Only a qualified industrial hygienist can determine whether a property meets the cleanup standards required by the Idaho Administrative Procedures Act (IDAPA) 16.02.24.
To request removal from the Clandestine Drug Lab Property List, the property owner must provide the Idaho Environmental Health Program with one of the following:
- The original or a certified copy of the final cleanup report prepared by a qualified industrial hygienist
or - Documentation showing that the property has been fully and lawfully demolished