Identifying and remediating methamphetamine contamination in NZ rentals

Identifying and remediating methamphetamine contamination in New Zealand Rental Properties
Identifying and remediating
methamphetamine contamination in
New Zealand rental properties
Prepared by
Grant Forsyth
Health & Safety/Environmental Manager
17th August 2015

Identifying and remediating methamphetamine contamination in New Zealand Rental Properties Page 2
1 Table of Contents
2 Executive Summary.................................................................................................................... 3
3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 4
4 Background Information ............................................................................................................ 5
4.1 Forms of Methamphetamine............................................................................................. 5
4.2 Health hazards.................................................................................................................... 5
4.3 Methamphetamine contamination.................................................................................... 5
4.4 Signs that there is a user occupying the property ............................................................. 6
5 Methamphetamine Labs............................................................................................................ 6
5.1 How does a Methamphetamine Lab affect the property? ................................................ 7
5.2 Signs for identifying a Methamphetamine Lab.................................................................. 7
5.3 What to do when you suspect a Methamphetamine Lab.................................................. 7
6 Testing and Analysis................................................................................................................... 7
7 The Remediation Process........................................................................................................... 8
7.1 What is involved in the remediation process?................................................................... 8
7.2 How long does the remediation process take and what is the cost? ................................ 9
8 Liability ....................................................................................................................................... 9
9 Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 10
10 Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 10
11 Appendices........................................................................................................................... 11
12 References............................................................................................................................ 15

2 Executive Summary
The use of methamphetamine has been a growing problem in New Zealand over the last
decade and does not look like it is going to get better any time in the near future. By
better educating landlords, property managers, rental agencies and contractors they will
be more cognizant of how to identify, report and undertake remediation of at risk
properties of methamphetamine contamination.

3 Introduction
This report has been written to describe the problems related to methamphetamine
contamination in rental properties and to recommend steps to reduce the risk to the
home owner. The outcome of this report will give the people affected a clear
understanding of the signs that the property may be contaminated and the process to
take to test, report and remediate the property.
It is intended for the rental property market to highlight the ever growing use of
methamphetamine in rental properties in New Zealand. This will include measures to
identify potential methamphetamine use in a property along with a testing process to
identify the level of contamination.
The audience of this report are people who own or manage rental properties through
agencies, have been affected or are concerned about methamphetamine contamination
of the property from tenants and more than likely have heard or read about the problem
in the media. This will also extend to contractors who at some time may come across a
property that they are working in where methamphetamine contamination is present.

4 Background Information
As described by the New Zealand Ministry of Health (2010):
Methamphetamine is a member of a ‘group of synthetic drug’ (ie, drugs that are not
derived from plants) called amphetamines. It is typically manufactured from over-the-
counter pharmaceuticals (predominantly cough and cold medications) containing
ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, in addition to chemicals and reagents available in
hardware stores. (“Guidelines for the Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine
Laboratory Sites”, 2010, p9).
4.1 Forms of Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine comes mainly in two forms; a white powder which is an odourless,
bitter tasting powder that is alcohol and water-soluble, or the most commonly available
type of the drug is a clear crystal form high in purity and is generally known as ‘meth’, ‘P’
or ‘pure’. These forms of the drug are commonly sold in point bags which hold anywhere
from 1/10th
to 1/30th
of a gram and usually cost $100 for one bag.
4.2 Health hazards
Information provided by the Ministry of Health show effects can vary depending on the
type and amount of methamphetamine used, how it is taken and individual factors like
health, size, gender and tolerance to the drug. Long term use of methamphetamine can
greatly increase the risk of significant physical and mental health problems. These can
include: extreme weight loss, difficulty sleeping, a violent or aggressive personality, brain
damage, poor skin condition and open sores, damage to kidneys, gum and teeth
problems.
4.3 Methamphetamine contamination
Depending of the type of methamphetamine contamination and exposure in a property
this would produce varying levels of effects to a person. Most commonly there would be
a reaction when entering the property like sore or stinging eyes, sore throat and a
headache, similar to flu like symptoms. Long term exposure to these chemicals can cause
long lasting health issues especially to young children and the elderly. (“Guidelines for the
Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Sites”, 2010, p75).

4.4 Signs that there is a user occupying the property
When smoking methamphetamine there is no significant odour given off therefore
looking for visual evidence is required. Common signs that there could be a possible user
in the property when visiting or carrying out inspections are feeling the effects of the
methamphetamine use in the property i.e. sore or stinging eyes, sore throat and a
headache, or finding small zip lock bags (figure 1) or a glass pipe (figure 2) lying around,
along with seeing a physical change for the worse in the person. (figure 3).
(Images sourced from NZ Police)
Figure 1: Drug bags (point bags) Figure 2: Methamphetamine
smoking pipe.
Figure 3: Physical change of a user of only 2.5 years
5 Methamphetamine Labs
Methamphetamine laboratories that are used for the manufacturing of the drug can be
found virtually anywhere, in private dwellings, campervans, commercial buildings, boats
etc. They are usually mobile and can be accommodated in one room of a house or even
large-scale highly sophisticated operations that are technically and chemically complex.
There are high risks involved in the manufacturing process due to the toxic and extremely
flammable chemicals used. It is estimated that producing one kilogram of

methamphetamine creates five to seven kilograms of toxic by-product. . (“Guidelines for
the Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Sites”, 2010 p12, 72).
5.1 How does a Methamphetamine Lab affect the property?
The process or methamphetamine manufacturing is dangerous and is often carried out by
inexperienced ‘cooks’. Some of the chemical processes involved in producing
methamphetamine can produce deadly fumes. These fumes leave a toxic residue in
which the contaminates then soak into walls, ceilings, carpets, curtains, furniture, and
even the soil; these toxins will also have significant health effects on anyone else who is
exposed for the short term and the long term. Due to the chemicals used and their
volatile nature it is very easy for methamphetamine labs to cause significant explosions.
5.2 Signs for identifying a Methamphetamine Lab
There will often be strange chemical smells, fumes and vapour escaping from windows or
ventilators, CCTV cameras, motion sensors and abnormally high security, discarded
drums, containers, large amount of cold tablet pill packaging or stained coffee filters.
There could also be discarded water purifiers around the property along with bottles or
jars with rubber tubing attached, which also indicate that the premises may be being used
as a methamphetamine lab. (see photo in appendices 5). (Neighbourhood Support Fact
Sheet, “Methamphetamine Clandestine Laboratory Awareness”, n.d.).
5.3 What to do when you suspect a Methamphetamine Lab
If there is a property suspected of currently or previously been used as a clandestine
methamphetamine lab, the appropriate measure is to get away from the area
immediately and contact the police and the local council's environmental health officer.
6 Testing and Analysis
The only certain way to ensure whether the property is contaminated with
methamphetamine is to have it tested. DIY methamphetamine test kits can be easily
purchased online and used by a landlord, property manager or a contractor which will be
useful as a screening tool for evaluating a property for a positive or negative result. Once

there has been a positive test result further comprehensive testing would be required to
find the level of contamination throughout the property.
There are a number of large testing organizations in New Zealand that carry out
comprehensive testing on properties and can be found online by searching
“methamphetamine testing NZ”. During this full testing there will be swabs taken from
different surfaces in every room throughout the property, these swabs are then sent to a
lab by the testing company for analysis and the results are produced and returned to the
property owner or their representative. Depending on the level of contamination there
would then be recommendations put in place by the testing company to determine the
amount of remediation required. In order for a health department to accept test results,
the comprehensive test must be performed by a Certified Testing Specialist. (Full test
result sample is attached in appendices 1)
(“Guidelines for the Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Sites”,
2010 p33).
7 The Remediation Process
It is important that any remediation work on the property is undertaken by an approved
decontamination contractor or company that has undergone independent training and
certification in both decontamination processes and health and safety. Companies that
undertake remediation of properties can be searched online under “methamphetamine
decontamination Companies NZ”. It is highly recommended that a review of these
companies and recommendations is conducted by the intended audience of this report.
7.1 What is involved in the remediation process?
This depends on the level of contamination of the property. Under the Ministry of Health
Guidelines for the Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Sites 2010
there is level of contamination that warrants the property to be fully stripped of
materials, which in most cases is back to bear framing. If the reading falls below the level
required to strip out all of the materials, then a wash down process is undertaken along
with removing carpets, light and switch fittings and range hood filters.

7.2 How long does the remediation process take and what is the cost?
Depending on the remediation process, this could range from 2-3 weeks up to 3 months
or longer. After the remediation is completed the property is then re-tested and either
given the all clear or further cleaning is required until the levels are below what is
deemed safe by the Ministry of Health. The cost of the testing process through to
cleaning or a full strip out of materials could range from $5000 through to more than
$100,000 if dealing with a Methamphetamine Lab. (“Guidelines for the Remediation of
Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Sites”, 2010 p73).
8 Liability
The primary responsibility for correcting chemical hazards on their property lies with the
owners, and their property agents and managers. Tenants have a responsibility for
reporting to the landlord on the development of any potential chemical hazard. To
recover any costs associated with the remediation process this would need to go through
the Tenancy Tribunal and the Courts. Depending on the level of cover applying to a
tenanted dwelling or unit, the majority of insurers cover the costs of removing chemical
residue, as they currently view the damage as being accidental rather than malicious.
Checking with your insurance provider would be recommended to ensure your policy
does cover any remediation costs.
2010 p60, 65).

9 Conclusion
The issue of methamphetamine use in New Zealand is a challenging and complicated one
to deal with; the Police and Customs have been working extremely hard to reduce this
epidemic. Unfortunately there is always going to be a risk for the property owner, rental
agencies or contractors working on rental properties. By understanding the signs and
process this risk can be reduced dramatically for those who could potentially be affected.
10 Recommendations
Although the problem of methamphetamine can never really be eliminated completely,
the risk can be reduced significantly by regular visual inspections and testing of a rental
property. This should be done at the end of a tenancy and during a tenancy at
inspections; this will then highlight any presence of the drug, if the testing shows a
positive then further comprehensive testing should be carried out by a Certified Testing
Specialist and the appropriate measures taken to start the process to evict the tenants
and remediation of the property. If you are a landlord that does not inspect your own
property then it would be prudent to make it part of your agreement with the property
manager to include regular testing during the tenancy. These can be undertaken by any
individual by following the simple instructions in the DIY kit, on average the cost would
work out to around $15 for a test screen to show a positive or negative result and these
test kits can be purchased online. As part of your tenancy agreement you should consider
writing into the agreement that regular methamphetamine testing will be undertaken
and if there are positive results legal action will be taken against the tenants, this should
hopefully deter any possible methamphetamine users from applying for a tenancy.

11 Appendices
1) Sample of test results from a contaminated property.
Methamphetamine
Amphetamines
Ephedrine
Ketamine
Methamphetamine Including Precursors
Modified NIOSH 9111
(µg/100 cm2
)
Surface
(pH)
Amphetamine Ephedrine Pseudoephedrine Methamphetamine
Kitchen
< 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.38
Back Door - 5
Bench -‘ve 7
Floor -‘ve -
Cupboards -‘ve 6
Walls -‘ve - - - - -
Dining
0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.83Floor - -
Front Door - -
Lounge
< 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.12
Floor - -
Hearth - -
Walls - -
Hallway
0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 1.1Walls (kitchen end) - -
Wall (bedroom end) - -
Bedroom One
0.06 < 0.02 < 0.02 2.0Floor - -
Walls - 6
Bedroom Two
< 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.15Floor - -
Walls - 7
Bedroom Three
< 0.02 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.04Floor - -
Walls - 7
Bathroom
0.03 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.15
Floor -‘ve -
Walls +’ve 7
Bath -‘ve -
Vanity +’ve 7
Toilet
0.04 < 0.02 < 0.02 0.69Walls - -
Cistern - -
MISTRAL SCREEN DETECTION LIMITS NIOSH 9111 - DETECTION LIMITS:
Methamphetamine 1.0 µg Amphetamine 0.02 µg
Amphetamine 1.0 µg Ephedrine 0.02 µg
Methamphetamine 0.02 µg
Pseudoephedrine 0.02 µg
Ministry of Health Guidelines – Above .50 levels is unsafe and needs remediation work. As
highlighted in red.

2) Availability of Methamphetamine in New Zealand
(“Tackling Methamphetamine: Indicators and Progress Report October”, 2013, p9).
3) Number of Clan Labs Dismantled in New Zealand
Note: The number of clan lab assessments conducted prior to 2006 was not documented.
(“Tackling Methamphetamine: Indicators and Progress Report October”, 2013, p11).
30 31 43 42
77 76
123
41
170
202
181
204
241
221
176 177
207
185
217
0.00
50.00
100.00
150.00
200.00
250.00
300.00
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Number of Clan Labs Dismantled 2001-2012
Clan Lab Assessments Clan Labs Dismantled

4) An example of a council’s procedure for dealing with a clan methamphetamine lab
(Hutt City Council)
2010, p45).
5) An example of a methamphetamine clan lab in a rental property
Information received of premises
used as P lab or storage of chemical
used for illegal drugs production
Liaise with local Police on incident
Await official notification Police
National Clan Lab Investigation Unit
– Grade A–D classification
Evaluate risk for council response
Site check
No entry
Scene of crime
investigation (ESR)
Compile information
on property
Low risk High risk
Serve section 41
Notice (Health Act 1956) or
section 129 warrant (Building
Act 2004) – require testing by
reputable analyst
Secure site
Possible use of
security contractor
Results evaluated Imminent risk Consider action
section 124 Building
Act 2004
insanitary/dangerous
building
eg, property damage
Consider action
Hazardous substances
Emergency declaration
Property chattels
No contamination
Seek order from
Courts
LIM file
Final testing
Clearance
Copy to LIM file
 Property occupied
 Location
 Pollution
Contamination
confirmed
(cleansing order)

(“New Zealand Police Association, publications vol46, No.2, March 2013”).

12 References
Guidelines for the Remediation of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Sites.
(2010). Retrieved from
https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/guidelines-
remediation-clandestine-meth-lab-sites.pdf
Neighbourhood Support Fact Sheet, Methamphetamine Clandestine Laboratory
Awareness. Retrieved from
http://www.ns.org.nz/36.html
New Zealand Drug Foundation. Retrieved from
https://www.drugfoundation.org.nz/methamphetamine
New Zealand Police, methamphetamine and the law. Retrieved from
http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/drugs-and-alcohol/methamphetamine-and-law
New Zealand Police Association, publications vol46, No.2, March 2013. Retrieved from
http://www.policeassn.org.nz/newsroom/publications/featured-articles/meth-kids
Tackling Methamphetamine: Indicators and Progress Report October. (2013).
Retrieved from
http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/publications/indicators_and_progress_report_oc
tober_2013.pdf

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