Methamphetamine contamination in residential properties and their remediation in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

The high use rate for methamphetamine in Australia has led to the emergence of local clandestine production. Contamination of the properties being used for methamphetamine production or consumption poses adverse health risks to occupants, and thus remediation is highly desirable to protect them. However, the residue level and removal efficiency of methamphetamine is not well documented yet in the literature. This study examined the level of methamphetamine residue on the surfaces of different materials in different rooms before and after remediation in Queensland with 561 swab samples taken from 47 properties suspected of methamphetamine production or consumption. Results indicated that kitchens and bathrooms usually had the highest levels of methamphetamine detected in surface wipe samples of all room types, while laminated and painted surfaces had higher methamphetamine contamination than the surfaces of other materials. Our results also indicated that properties with high residue levels and in certain situations might require multiple clean-ups, probably due to the low effectiveness of the remediation methods and the release of methamphetamine from within the matrix for porous materials. Efforts should be spent in the future to improve removal efficiency by using advanced technologies. This will inform methamphetamine contamination management guidance.