The lab was operated out of his home three years before he bought it. Because the number of meth labs discovered in Oregon is rising each year, more homeowners could face the revelation that their homes were once drug factories that were never cleaned up. The state Health Division expects to identify more than 200 home labs this year, said Ron Hall, field services manager. About 60 percent of the home labs discovered last year were cleaned up under state guidelines, he said. Exposure to chemicals such as lead acetate and mercuric acid used to make the white, crystalline substance, which is injected or snorted, has not been well-documented.
Many people suffer dizziness, headaches and coldlike symptoms after living in a meth environment.
And health officials think long-term effects could include kidney and liver damage and learning disabilities in children. The Health Division follows strict guidelines after police shut down a lab, said Tom Mitchell, head of the department's drug lab cleanup program. Signs are posted labeling the house unfit for use, and the Health Division sends out information to homeowners advising them of the testing and cleanup procedure. Then it's up to the homeowners. Cleanup can involve replacing carpets and furniture and using industrial detergents to scrub walls and floors.