Recognizing a lab

Do you go into homes as part of your daily job duties? If so, please check out our brocure on Recognizing a Meth Lab

You may find yourself in a lab and not even know it because it’s not what you may expect. It won’t be like walking into Frankenstein’s laboratory with all this nice expensive scientific glassware, with proper ventilation and a safe working environment. These houses are filthy and full of everything you could imagine. Users are very paranoid so they don’t throw the trash away, it just piles up. They take things apart with no idea or intention of putting it back together.

Methamphetamine, also known as; speed, ice, crystal, glass, crank or meth is inexpensive and easy to make from readily available and obtainable ingredients. Methamphetamine is made from a combination of common household chemicals, with cold medication being the main ingredient. With this said, it is important to think outside the box when it comes to meth labs. Everything is not what it seems. Meth can be cooked in just about anything.  If you see lots of the chemicals that are pictured, and in large quantities, you could be in a meth lab. Most people don’t keep acids and Coleman fuel in the refrigerator. Solvents are usually kept in ones garage, not the baby’s room. Probably the number one indicator that you may be in a lab is the presence of multilayered liquids. The only multilayered liquid that anyone should have in their house is Italian salad dressing, and it’s not normally kept in ones bathroom. Pay attention to things that don’t look normal.

The odor in these labs are not like the old P2P labs when the bikers were making meth and the labs smelled like cat urine. Today’s labs don’t have a real distinct odor; they may smell like a garage. They’ll have a strong solvent, acrid odor or a very strong ammonia smell.

These chemicals in and of themselves have certain hazards. Solvents are neurological toxins. Acids and bases will cause burns to mucous membranes and the skin.  However, mixing of some of these chemicals can create toxic vapors and create explosive effects.  Phosphine gas is given off a number of times during a cook. This gas is colorless, odorless and deadly. Hydriodic acid vapor and Iodine vapor are also generated during the cooking process. Iodine and acid vapors cause your skin to itch. If you get a metallic taste in your mouth, it could be from Iodine. If you have been exposed to Iodine make sure you tell your doctor so they can check your thyroid.

The only good thing about Iodine is that it leaves yellow stains. If you see yellow stained coffee filters, gloves or paper towels, this could be an indicator that you’re in a lab. If you see yellow stains, you can spray some starch on them. If they turn a purplish blue/black, it’s Iodine. Iodine is the only substance that reacts with soluble starch to produce a purplish black color. The only way to get iodine vapor all over the walls is to cook meth.

Manufacturing meth creates hazardous waste and can pose significant health and environmental hazards. For every pound of meth produced, five to six pounds of hazardous waste is left behind. Cooks often put this waste down household drains, into creeks, down storm drains, in parks, and along the sides of the road. Many states have adopted cleanup standards and regulations for properties that contained a meth lab. The laws require a coordinated, cooperative effort among various agencies to manage the cleanup and require property owners to make sure the standards are met prior to allowing anyone to reside on the property.

If you find yourself in a lab, do not touch anything and evacuate the property. If people are in the house, do not confront them, act like you have a phone call and excuse yourself. Walk down the street, stay in the area and call the police. When the police show up, give them very detailed information on the things you saw and wait until they check it out. If it’s a lab you may need to be decontaminated and/or medically evaluated. Pay attention to how you feel.

• Do your eyes, nose or throat burn?
• Do you itch?
• Do you have a metallic taste in your mouth?
• Are you light headed?

If it is a lab, make sure you get a phone number for law enforcement at the scene incase you start having symptoms (such as a cold or flu coming on). They can get a list of chemicals found in the lab to talk about with your doctor.

There are actions that private citizens can take to ensure that methamphetamine manufacturing is not taking place in their neighborhoods. Drug dealers and meth cooks have common habits that are easily observed, and listed below. If you observe any combination of these activities, call your local police or sheriff’s department immediately and report your concerns. If you live in an apartment complex and you notice strong chemical odors, call the fire department since they have air monitoring equipment to deal with such things and most fire personnel are trained to recognize a lab. Be extremely specific with what you’ve seen and if you can get license plate numbers without attracting attention to yourself, these are extremely helpful towards an investigation. Under no circumstance should you confront your neighbor with your suspicions or enter a suspected lab. For information on all addresses previously identified as Meth Labs, please see the DEA Meth Lab Database.

Signs of a Meth Lab or Drug Activity:

• Lots of activity all hours of the day and night
• Windows are always covered or painted black
• Smoking outside in a snow storm at 2:30am
• Occupants don’t put trash out/trash building up around house
• Security cameras and equipment around house
• Occupants are unfriendly and appear secretive or paranoid
• Chemical odors coming from the house, garage or detached buildings
• Trash has lots of bottles and chemicals such as those pictured
• Activity at odd hours or late at night for very short periods of time
• Occupants exhibit suspicious or odd behavior
• Occupants appear unemployed, yet have money for bills, often paying cash