California Real Estate (Property) law holds property owners and landlords responsible for providing notification to tenants and future owners of any hazards existing on a property offered for lease or sale. One of these hazards can be chemical contamination due to a clandestine Methamphetamine (Meth) laboratory. Clandestine drug laboratories can be found in all sections of LA County. Effective January 1, 2006, a new law that deals with Meth labs went into effect. The Methamphetamine Contaminated Property Act of 2005 requires the clean up of the property so it can be safe for occupancy and imposes fines on the seller of a residential property who fails to disclose information about contamination resulting from a Meth lab.
This law also requires the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) to respond to complaints of potentially contaminated property. Response includes evaluating the property, testing for contamination, notifying and posting of warning notices, issuing orders prohibiting occupancy if the site is not safe, as well as overseeing the ultimate return of the property to a safe environment. Property owners are responsible for all the costs that may be associated with these actions.
Don’t get yourself in trouble. If you suspect a meth contaminated property, you can get a meth testing kit from us. Have you already tested and got a positive result? No worries. We can help with that too.
Does your rental property look like this? Test your property today.
Correct cleaning of a property must be done if it has tested positive for mold. We provide meth removal and cleaning products that improve your safety and health while living in the home. If the property was seized by law enforcement, professionals are typically called in to handle the hazardous materials. However, not all agencies use the appropriate chemicals to clean-up the toxic lab wastes.
Air out the Property
When a property is condemned for meth, it is common for the property to be locked up for months. Always allow the property to air out for a week or longer before you enter it to clean it.
Removing Walls and Carpeting
Although cleaning with the right chemicals can clean up the toxic elements, removal of the carpeting and wallboards is normally required. The toxic chemicals will become embedded within these materials, which is dangerous to your health. After proper cleaning or removal of the wallboards, add a thick barrier of paint, linoleum, or epoxy. Our meth removal product is designed in a 2-part series to correctly eradicate any traces of meth in a properly cleaned area.
Wear Protective Clothing
Protective clothing is an essential element of effective meth removal. Wear gloves, long-sleeves, eyewear, and respirators. Everything use for cleaning will be considered contaminated and must be properly disposed of to prevent toxic vapors from forming.
Checking the Property
Upon completion of the cleaning process, the property must be checked for any additional stains or problems related to meth. Contact Burns Environmental if you have questions related to meth removal and cleaning.
Shopping for a new home is an exciting process, but what happens when you find out your former home is a meth home? Having a neighbor tell you, your home used to be a meth lab, is disturbing to say the least. Was the home decontaminated correctly? A certificate from the local health department will prove a home was decontaminated, but there is still a concern about a former meth home.
Some homeowners have their new homes tested to find traces of methamphetamine still exist in the home. Common health problems can range from short-term issues to long-term health consequences. It can eventually lead to cancer in some individuals, and children are at a higher risk for health problems related to meth exposure due to their developing bodies.
When home meth labs are created, toxins are spread into every inch of the room and into other areas of the home. Carpeting, walls, drapery, air ducts, furniture, and the air is toxic. When Apple Environmental handles the decontamination process, we wear respirators and correct protective clothing to prevent health risks.
In many cases a home that has been used as a meth lab is deemed a hazardous waste site. The amount of chemicals removed from a meth lab is staggering. Proper procedure must be followed to remove the toxic influence of chemicals from the room. All surfaces must be scrubbed, walls must be repainted, carpeting and air filtration systems need to be replaced. The problem with meth lab cleanup is there is not currently a national standard. Some companies do not have adequate training to correctly treat and decontaminate a meth house.
