Stats:

Occupants: 2 Adults and 3 children: 11y/o male, 8 y/o male, 6 y/o female.

Duration of Time in House: 4 months
​
Minimum Contamination level: 0.1 ug/100cm2
Maximum Contamination level: 5.7 ug/100cm2
Average Contamination level: 2.2 ug/100cm2

​Likely Source of Contamination was Use

This case study involved a house on the urban outskirts of a major city that was purchased by a family of 2 adults and 3 children. The property was vacant for a number of months prior to the sale. During the sale of the property, access into the property was restricted and the purchasers were advised to change the locks once moved in for their safety. Information from some of the neighbours indicated that the previous occupants used methamphetamine and there was also some suggestion of drug manufacture. Other neighbours refuted the manufacture but confirmed that the previous owners used drugs in the property. Discussions with police did not identify any drug-related reports. After the family moved in, they started renovations, and given the potential drug history at the property they became concerned about contamination and had the property tested. They had noticed some health issues and sleep issues with one of their children. The testing showed the property was contaminated. They lived in the property for 4 months prior to discovering it was contaminated. They could not afford to move out so lived in a caravan on the property until the remediation was completed. 

Health Effects

22 of the 63 participants of this study reported health effects as indicated by levels of contamination reported in the green section of the below chart. This means that the three children and two adults residing in this contaminated property may have suffered: Behavioural Issues, Heachaches, Sleep Disruption, Immune related disorder, Respiratory Issues, Eye issues and Skin irritation.  

The study states; "In terms of health effects reported by participants exposed in contaminated properties, these were consistently reported regardless of the source of the methamphetamine contamination. The only key difference in the health effects reported was a higher prevalence of eye and respiratory issues in properties known or suspected to have been contaminated from manufacture."

Hair Analysis Results:

The below table shows the results by person of the amount of methamphetamines and amphetamines located in hair analysis. These levels are from environmental contamination exposure only and not from direct methamphetamine use (Drug Use) or methamphetamine manufacture.

The study states "The analysis of hair samples collected from participants recently exposed in contaminated properties found methamphetamine above the quantitation limit (5 pg/mg) in 20 of the 36 participants sampled."

"For adults, methamphetamine was detected in hair in case studies where the mean environmental methamphetamine concentration was in the range 7.8 to 49 μg/100 cm2, which predominantly involved properties where clandestine drug manufacture was known or suspected to have occurred."

"The hair analysis data showed higher levels of exposure occurring in younger children, which is consistent with the expectation that younger children will have higher levels of exposures due to more common floor play, poorer washing of hands, and mouthing of hands and objects. In addition, young children have more porous hair than adults, which would make the hair more susceptible to environmental contamination."

"In relation to children, methamphetamine was detected in hair for case studies where the mean environmental methamphetamine concentration was in the range of 2.8 to 30.7 μg/100 cm2. The concentration of methamphetamine detected in the hair of children ranged from 6 to 980 pg/mg. This included properties contaminated as a result of both use and manufacture."

"The detection of methamphetamine, and in some cases amphetamine, in the analysis of hair samples from exposed participants...indicates that for some situations environmental exposure was sufficient to be able to be detected in the hair. This is not the case for all situations, as there were a number of participants for whom analysis of a hair sample could not detect methamphetamine." 

Person	Methamphetamine	Amphetamine
11y/o male	<5	<5
38y/o male	<5	<5
11y/o female	<5	<5

Click this link to read the Research:  Environmental Methamphetamine Exposures and Health Effects in 25 Case Studies.

Annual Testing
Along with Pre and Post Tenancy

The best way to protect your property is by doing regular meth checks!

For more information, contact us today

0800 746 473