Methamphetamine, also known as "speed" or "crank," is a potent central nervous system stimulant. The drug is illegally produced in makeshift labs. The labs are set up at rental homes, apartments, motel rooms, garages, storage sheds, cars, campgrounds and various outbuildings. All of the processes that produce methamphetamine use a variety of chemicals including explosives, solvents, metals, salts, and corrosives.

During the drug manufacturing process additional compounds and by-products are produced. Exposure to these chemicals can have various health effects on producers and others that are unintentionally exposed. Typically, after a lab is discovered by law enforcement officials, the bulk of lab-related materials including chemicals and containers are removed. However, small amounts of contaminants can remain on floors, walls, counters, carpets, furniture, sinks, drains and ventilation systems. Exposure to even small amounts of some of these chemicals can pose serious health risks.

Every pound of methamphetamine produced generates five or more pounds of hazardous waste. Much of this waste is dumped down drains and toilets or on the ground, creating many additional contaminated sites. Such dumping has created septic tanks full of dangerous waste and chemically-contaminated drain fields, soils and surface waters.

Most clandestine meth labs manufacture methamphetamine using an ephedrin-conversion method. The ephedrine conversion method uses ephedrine taken from herbs or pseudo-ephedrine taken from cold medicines. When ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine is exposed to hydriodic acid, it changes into methamphetamine. Hydriodic acid is made by mixing red phosphorus with iodine.

Mixing red phosphorus and iodine produces hydrogen iodide (HI) gas. Hydrogen iodide gas contaminates walls, floors, ceilings, draperies, furniture, food, etc. with a residue of hydriodic acid. Hydrogen iodide gas and hydriodic acid are skin, eye and lung irritants, and acute exposure may cause death. When hydriodic acid decomposes, it leaves behind the element iodine. Diluted forms of iodine are used by man without harmful effects although people allergic to iodine must avoid them.

The non-diluted element, iodine, causes burns on contact, may be fatal if swallowed, is harmful if inhaled and emits toxic fumes - particularly when heated. Iodine has an "immediate danger to life and health" (IDLH) rating of 2 parts per million. This means, 2 parts of iodine in 1 million parts of air poses an immediate danger to your health.

To help understand how toxic iodine is, the reader may compare iodine with a better-known chemical such as propane. Propane has an IDLH rating of 2,100 parts per million. Iodine vapors are irritating to the eyes and mucus membranes. Symptoms of exposure to iodine vapor are tearing of the eyes, headache, increased blood pressure, tight chest, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, excessive thirst and circulatory failure.

Red phosphorous is also a dangerous chemical often found in meth labs. Red phosphorous is often found spilled on carpets and floors where friction from above or a dropped ash or spark may cause a fire. Rubbing materials together that are coated with red phosphorus can cause them to ignite When red phosphorus burns, it generates a toxic smoke containing phosphoric acid. If this smoke is inhaled, the phosphoric acid will damage the victim's airway and lungs, often resulting in chemical pneumonia.

When red phosphorus burns, it turns into white phosphorus. White phosphorus is extremely difficult to extinguish and auto-ignites when exposed to air. When red phosphorous is heated it emits hydrogen phosphide gas (phosphine). Phosphine is heavier than air and quickly dissipates if air is circulating.

Often, when a meth cook is found dead next to his chemistry set, the death is found to be the result of phosphine. Phosphine is used in industry as a fumigant to kill insects and rodents. Certain foods such as wheat, flour, rice, nuts, pasta and plant-based oils are contaminated by phosphine. Phosphine can contaminate carpets soiled by these foods. Phosphine is deadly if inhaled, toxic if swallowed, and corrosive if touched or rubbed on the skin.

The No Odor & No Mold Network in conjunction with our sister company New Air Technologies, Inc. have the only complete system for solution when it come to clandestine drug lab decontamination. All of our staff is National HAZMAT certified with first responder status. Our cold plasma and no odor cold fogging methodologies along with our custom engineered leave behind technologies is the only way to go...