Meth contamination: a hidden hazard that could cost your home

Burning eyes? Trouble sleeping? Recently moved? Homes where methamphetamine was previously smoked or cooked can harbour harmful residue for up to five years. Here’s what you can do.

The manufacture of meth leaves dangerous residue in a property for years. Picture: iStock.

Burning eyes, a toxic smell, raging kids – the dark signs of a property’s past that could be putting your family’s future at risk.

When it comes to the hidden dangers sometimes found lurking in homes, meth contamination is not commonly thought about, however, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare states methylamphetamine is the second most consumed illicit drug after cannabis across the country.

It is also the most commonly produced illicit drug in Australia, according to a 2017 report by enHealth – with only one in 10 clandestine labs thought to be detected. The majority of clan labs are either in or adjacent to domestic properties.

Moving into a home contaminated with high levels of meth is a nightmare scenario.

LIVING IN A METH HOUSE

Research by Flinders University shows residue from cooking meth amphetamine stays present in a property for up to five years. It sits on surfaces and inside porous materials, leaking into the air and contaminating other objects brought into the home, like clothes, kids’ toys and furniture.

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Director of Environmental Risk Sciences and Adjunct Academic at Flinders University Dr Jackie Wright says this poses a nightmare scenario for new homeowners or renters.

“If you buy a house and you bring your own possessions into it, they will become contaminated,” she says. “There are some things like bedding that you have to dispose of.”

Both cooking and smoking meth leaves dangerous residue in a home. The difference is in the level of contamination present, with manufacturing and large groups of people smoking likely to cause a higher amount compared to a single person smoking, she says.

Dr Jackie Wright. Picture Craig Hughes

HEALTH EFFECTS

Meth contamination tends to cause respiratory problems such as asthma and an exacerbation of pre-existing medical problems like auto-immune conditions, Dr Wright says. It also causes sleep issues, fatigue, eye and skin irritation plus headaches and aggressive behaviour in kids.

“In general, kids are the ones who are most at risk,” she says. “Some older adults are also more susceptible.”

Meth testers used to check the levels of the drug in a house.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

You can test for the presence of meth residue using a DIY rapid test kit however this won’t show the extent of the contamination, Dr Wright says. If you return a positive result, you should engage a forensics company for further testing.

“That tells you what sort of levels are actually present,” she says. “It could be a low level contamination or a really high level contamination. That tells them how much work needs to be done to make it clean and inhabitable.”

The cost of remediation could put you in a very difficult position.

You should then hire a different company if the property needs to be remediated, to avoid a conflict of interest, and a different company again to test the levels after the work has been done.

There is a health-based guideline that sets out the safe level of contamination where no remediation is needed.

“The Australian guidelines have a threshold for residential homes which is 0.5 micrograms per 100 sq cm meth amphetamine on surfaces,” she says.

You can get very ill from living in a home contaminated with meth. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

REMEDIATING METH

While low level contamination may be remediated by surface cleaning, carpet cleaning and HEPA vacuuming, high level contamination is much harder to fix.

“It goes into the gyprock, it goes into timber, it gets all through the carpets,” she says.

Some properties need to have all carpet and soft furnishings as well as anything porous replaced.

“I know of a number of properties that have been demolished because the cost of remediating it is much higher than the value of the house,” she says.

Landlord Connie Cicchini had to demolish her rental property because of meth contamination. Picture: David Clark

IF YOU ARE A RENTER

Since tenancy laws across the states and territories vary, it’s always best to check with your relevant authority if you suspect meth contamination.

REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella says Queensland tenants should raise any concerns of contamination with their property manager as soon as possible.

“Lessors are required to ensure the rental premises are fit to live in, are in good repair, and abide by all health and safety standards, including Queensland’s minimum housing standards,” she says. “Appropriate remediation works may be deemed necessary.”

REIV president Sam Hatzistamatis says in Victoria any known contamination must be disclosed to the renter before the lease is signed.

Only one in 10 clan drug labs are thought to be detected in Australia. Picture: Dean Martin

“I’ve been in the industry for a long time and I’ve never had one or come across one in an agency I’ve worked with,” he says.

Tenants in NSW must be told if a property has been used to manufacture or cultivate illegal drugs in the past two years. An REINSW spokesman issued the following statement.

“A landlord has an obligation to provide a property that is fit for purpose. Therefore, if a landlord is of the opinion that the property was exposed to meth, then they should have it remediated by a cleaner specialising in removing meth from a property.”

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Originally published as Meth contamination: a hidden hazard that could cost your home