Huntington Beach, CA, October 5th, 2020
Residents of a hotel near San Francisco’s financial district were recently evacuated from the building after police discovered a small meth lab operating out of one of the hotel rooms. Two people were arrested and a hazmat team was called to handle any dangerous chemicals.
Police initially arrived after receiving a call about a strong chemical odor coming from one of the hotel rooms. Many of the chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine are highly toxic and can give off powerful odors when stored improperly or during the actual production process. Chemicals commonly used in the drug’s production include flammable and volatile solvents such as methanol, ether, benzene, methylene chloride and trichloroethane. Other chemicals may include muriatic acid, sodium hydroxide and ammonia.
Many of these same toxic chemicals can easily contaminate carpeting, wallboard, ceiling tiles, furniture and fabrics that absorb spilled or vaporized chemicals. Surface residues are another concern. A number of these chemicals can remain a hazard long after the property was used as a clandestine laboratory.
The state law in California holds property owners and landlords responsible for providing a notification to tenants and future owners of any hazard existing on a property offered for lease or sale. The Methamphetamine Contaminated Property Act of 2005 also requires the clean-up of the property, so it is safe for occupancy.
“People, and especially children, staying in a hotel room or living in a home that was once used as meth lab can be exposed to hazardous chemicals left behind if it was not properly remediated or was never discovered in the first place,” said Joseph Frasca, LA Testing’s Senior Vice President of Marketing. “This is why LA Testing provides property owners, landlords, tenants, facility managers, environmental consultants and regulatory agencies with laboratory testing services to detect these chemical hazards. Our laboratories identify surface residues, bulk chemicals and air quality exposure risks. We offer all of the necessary sampling supplies, personal protective equipment and even have a Methamphetamine Test Kit.”
To learn more about methamphetamine and chemical testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. To obtain a Methamphetamine Test Kit for surface residues, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.
About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: : AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.