If you think your property served as a synthetic drug lab at one time or another, you should have it assessed and decontaminated. Information on testing and cleanup of drug-affected property is available on the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment site. Refer to this article for more information on synthetic drugs and their effect on your health.
Professional certification. If a property in CO is a suspected former synthetic drug house, realtors and property managers need to be aware of Colorado statutes and regulations regarding clean-up. According to CO law, properties contaminated by drug use must be cleaned up in accordance with standards established by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This is a rigorous process that must be done by professionals. As an environmental firm, Paragon Environmental has undergone training and is certified to provide cleanup as needed.
What are the signs of a former synthetic drug house? One of the first things you may notice is strange odors emanating from the property. These smells may indicate a toxic environment. Often, chemical containers and waste may be spotted around the property, along with windows that have been blacked out. Sometimes, a property suspected of being a drug lab will have their blinds drawn but also have severe bright lighting that shows through the gaps of blinds or curtains. Another suspected sign is the coming or going of vehicles at odd hours.
What is the problem with a former drug house? According to the CDC, drug residue, as discussed below, will have adverse effects on any occupant of a former drug house. Poor ventilation, sometimes caused by the sealed windows and closed blinds, prevent odors from escaping the house. This in turn increases the possibility of combustion and the danger of inhaling toxic fumes. Drug labs in homes frequently operate without electricity or running water, which increases the chance of toxicity.
Can a former synthetic drug lab be occupied safely? The answer is no. Residual contamination is unhealthy. Exposed occupants, and particularly young children, can be exposed to drug residues – which, in all likelihood, remain on the surfaces of the home. CO regulations have recently changed because former residents of synthetic drug houses, who were unaware of the drug situation at the time, have developed adverse health effects. Former drug houses must undergo contamination procedures before they can be occupied safely.
Synthetic drug clean-up. Drug labs can have chemicals and equipment that can seriously injure or kill you, so this is best left to experienced professionals. The regulations regarding cleanup and inspections of synthetic drug affected areas require a preliminary assessment of the property. Once the preliminary assessment has been completed, if contamination is present above the regulatory standards, the site must be cleaned up. Options available to you include decontamination of the site or demolition.
For additional information, please reference this article here, Synthetic Drug Contamination. Decontamination must be conducted by licensed contractors who will follow the state regulated procedures for drug clean up. Paragon Environmental has been recently certified by the State of CO to perform clean up of synthetic drug properties. If you encounter such an occurrence, please call us at 303-529-1257 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
