A man was arrested recently in a nice neighborhood in Medina, Tennessee after police responded to a call about an unstable individual according to multiple media reports. Police found the man in an outbuilding on the property along with a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory.

While the number of cases like this have gone down in recent years due to large quantities of meth now coming from over the border, they still occur on a regular basis in communities across the United States. Unfortunately, for people unknowingly living by these illegal drug laboratories, several toxic chemicals are used to make methamphetamine, with methamphetamine being the most hazardous to a person's health.

These chemicals, and their vapors and residues, can be a serious threat to not only neighbors, but also first responders, current occupants and future building occupants.  Chemicals commonly used to manufacture meth include flammable and volatile solvents such as methanol, ether, benzene, methylene chloride, mineral spirits and trichloroethane. Other chemicals may include muriatic acid, sodium hydroxide and ammonia.

“Not only are leftover chemicals often discarded into the environment illegally, a number of these chemicals can contaminate carpets, wallboard, ceiling tiles, furniture and fabrics that absorb spilled or vaporized chemicals inside the home or building used to create the meth,” said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Surface residues can remain long after the property was used as a clandestine laboratory. This is especially concerning for people that may move into a property in the future and have no idea it was once used as a meth lab.”

Helping property owners, landlords, tenants, facility managers, law enforcement, real estate professionals, environmental consultants and regulatory agencies detect these chemical hazards are the scientists at EMSL Analytical, Inc. With laboratories across the United States and Canada, EMSL Analytical provides testing services to identify surface residues, bulk chemicals and airborne hazards. They also provide sampling supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE) and even offer easy-to-use test kits.

To learn more about methamphetamine chemical, residue and indoor air quality testing, please visit www.EMSL.com, email  info@EMSL.com  or call (800) 220-3675. To obtain a Methamphetamine Test Kit to detect surface residues, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com. 

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC's, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products, and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP, and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

— WebWireID291698 —