KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Visitors to the Public Health – Seattle & King County illegal drug lab website will now be able to determine easily the locations of known contaminated drug labs in their neighborhood and whether those labs have been cleaned up. These new interactive capabilities mean that website visitors may now view lab status on a printable list or on the interactive iMap system.
“Methamphetamine labs are a scourge on our neighborhoods, and this new capability makes it much easier for residents to find out whether a drug lab was identified and cleaned up,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “By making this information easily available we are simplifying the steps it takes to keep tabs on any contaminated drug lab in
King
County
.”
“After law enforcement uncovers an illegal drug lab, Public Health prohibits people from occupying contaminated sites until the lab is properly decontaminated,” said Dorothy Teeter, Interim Director and Health Officer at Public Health –
Seattle & King
County
. “Neighbors, realtors, and other interested parties now have information about the location and status of these labs with the click of a button.”
The new information is located on
King
County
’s GIS iMap website, accessible by clicking a link on the Public Health website at www.metrokc.gov/health/methlabs. Using the Public Health website, visitors are also able to obtain a copy of clean up orders.
Public Health’s role
Public Health’s Illegal Drug Lab team assesses contamination and oversees the clean up and decontamination at illegal drug labs after the police conduct the initial seizure and notify Public Health. The chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine are extremely toxic and frequently explosive. Corrosive chemicals such as anhydrous ammonia and hydrochloric acid as well as solvents like acetone and toluene are used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. During the cooking process, these chemicals may cover walls, carpets, and other surfaces with dangerous levels of contamination, rendering the location contaminated. When these substances are inhaled, ingested or get on the skin they can cause injury, particularly to children.
Public Health assesses and oversees the clean up of approximately 100 meth labs per year, depending on the number referred to the agency by law enforcement.
Warning signs of a meth lab in your neighborhood
Meth labs can be set up anywhere, including vacant houses, motel rooms, vehicles, motor homes, campgrounds, storage sheds, or outbuildings. Suspect a meth lab if there is:
- A strong odor of solvents
- Blacked out windows
- Increased activity, particularly at night
- Iodine-stained fixtures
- Excess trash
Typically, a meth lab contains pressurized tanks containing anhydrous ammonia or hydrochloric acid, various hoses and tubes, and chemical bottles, glassware, and pill packets or bottles. Other common ingredients include lithium batteries, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, paint thinner, and starter fluid. Do not enter the building or site if you suspect illegal drugs have been manufactured. Inhaling, ingesting, or having skin contact with the chemicals can cause burns and respiratory problems. The materials are often highly explosive and can explode on contact with air or water.
If you suspect a meth lab in your neighborhood, call 9-1-1.
For more information visit: www.metrokc.gov/health/methlabs or call the NW HIDTA (Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) 1-888-609-6384.
Public Health – Seattle & King County is among the largest metropolitan health departments in the country, providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services that achieve and sustain safer and healthier communities for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County . Answering the needs of an increasingly diverse population, Public Health - Seattle & King County touches people's lives every day through health promotion and prevention activities, disease surveillance, health care, outreach and referral services, environmental health services, emergency medical care, jail health services, and readiness and response to public health emergencies.
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