WINCHESTER, Tenn. — The spacious home where the newly wed Rhonda and Jason Holt began their family in 2005 was plagued by mysterious illnesses. The Holts’ three babies were ghostlike and listless, with breathing problems that called for respirators, repeated trips to the emergency room and, for the middle child, Anna, the heaviest dose of steroids a toddler can take.

Ms. Holt, a nurse, developed migraines. She and her husband, a factory worker, had kidney ailments.

It was not until February, more than five years after they moved in, that the couple discovered the root of their troubles: their house, across the road from a cornfield in this town some 70 miles south of Nashville, was contaminated with high levels of methamphetamine left by the previous occupant, who had been dragged from the attic by the police.

The Holts’ next realization was almost as devastating: it was up to them to spend the $30,000 or more that cleanup would require.

With meth lab seizures on the rise nationally for the first time since 2003, similar cases are playing out in several states, drawing attention to the problem of meth contamination, which can permeate drywall, carpets, insulation and air ducts, causing respiratory ailments and other health problems.

Federal data on meth lab seizures suggest that there are tens of thousands of contaminated residences in the United States. The victims include low-income elderly people whose homes are surreptitiously used by relatives or in-laws to make meth, and landlords whose tenants leave them with a toxic mess.

Some states have tried to fix the problem by requiring cleanup and, at the time of sale, disclosure of the house’s history. But the high cost of cleaning — $5,000 to $100,000, depending on the size of the home, the stringency of the requirements and the degree of contamination — has left hundreds of properties vacant and quarantined, particularly in Western and Southern states afflicted with meth use.

“The meth lab home problem is only going to grow,” said Dawn Turner, who started a Web site, www.methlabhomes.com, after her son lost thousands of dollars when he bought a foreclosed home in Sweetwater, Tenn., that turned out to be contaminated. Because less is known about the history of foreclosed houses, Ms. Turner said, “as foreclosures rise, so will the number of new meth lab home owners.”

Meth contamination can bring financial ruin to families like that of Francisca Rodriguez. The family dog began having seizures nine days after the Rodriguezes moved into their home in Grapevine, Tex., near Dallas, and their 6-year-old son developed a breathing problem similar to asthma, said Ms. Rodriguez, 35, a stay-at-home mother of three.

After learning from neighbors that the three-bedroom ranch-style home had been a known “drug house,” the family had it tested. The air ducts had meth levels more than 100 times higher than the most commonly cited limit beyond which cleanup is typically required.

The former owner had marked “no” on a disclosure form asking whether the house had ever been a meth lab, Ms. Rodriguez said. But because he is now in prison for meth possession, among other things, the Rodriguezes decided there was nothing to gain by suing him. They moved out, throwing away most of their possessions because they could not be cleaned, and are letting the house go into foreclosure.

“It makes you crazy,” Ms. Rodriguez said. “Our credit is ruined, we won’t be able to buy another house, somebody exposed my kids to meth, and my dog died.”

Federal statistics show that the number of clandestine meth labs discovered in the United States rose by 14 percent last year, to 6,783, and has continued to increase, in part because of a crackdown on meth manufacturers in Mexico and in part because of the spread of a new, easier meth-making method known as “shake and bake.”

There are no national standards governing meth contamination. Congress ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to publish cleanup guidelines by the end of 2008, but the agency is still reviewing a draft version. Without standards, professional cleaners say, it is easy to bungle a job that often requires gutting and repeated washing.

About 20 states have passed laws requiring meth contamination cleanup, and they use widely varied standards. Virtually all the laws hold the property owner financially responsible; Colorado appears to be the only state that allots federal grant money to help innocent property owners faced with unexpected cleanup jobs.

In other states, like Georgia, landlords and other real estate owners have fought a proposed cleanup law.

After the Holts bought their house here, Tennessee passed such a law. But since 2005, only 81 of 303 homes placed under a resulting quarantine have been cleaned, according to the state, which has one of the few registries tracking meth lab addresses. The law applies only if the police find a working meth lab at the house, and Jerry Hood, a lawyer and cleanup contractor hired by the Holts for the decontamination work, said many houses in the county had escaped the legislation.

The health effects of meth contamination are frequently difficult to prove, and research is scant. But John W. Martyny, a meth expert at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, said living in a former meth lab made children more likely to develop learning disabilities and caused long-term respiratory and skin problems.

Even brief exposure can have severe effects, Dr. Martyny said. A 2007 study by the Denver center found that more than 70 percent of law enforcement officials who had inspected meth labs subsequently reported health problems.

To Ms. Holt’s horror, inspectors found high concentrations of meth on her kitchen countertops, where she sterilized bottles, prepared baby food and doled out snacks.

“We had no idea that we were starting a family in a meth house,” she said. “We bought a house that eventually was going to sentence our family to death.”

When the family left the house, moving in with Mr. Holt’s parents, their health problems largely subsided. The children no longer needed medication to breathe. The migraines and the kidney ailments vanished.

But the heartaches continued. Ms. Holt has been working two jobs to earn money to pay for her house’s remediation, which has proceeded in fits and starts with donations from church fund-raisers and local businesses. And Anna, 2, had a relapse and had to return briefly to the hospital.

“We don’t know what it’s going to be in the future,” Ms. Holt said, standing in the barren, unfinished structure that was once her dream home and reflecting on her children. “This meth contamination is all their immune systems have ever known.”

Methamphetamine use today is becoming an epidemic with labs discovered in such structures as single family dwellings, mobile homes, vehicles, hotels, open air structures; in both urban, suburban and rural areas.

Clandestine labs have become prevalent across America. They are used for the illicit production of illegal drugs, mostly methamphetamine, PCP, GHB, or MDA (Ecstasy). Some labs have even been found with the raw materials used to concoct homemade bombs. Law enforcement departments have seen a significant rise in occurrences over the last ten years. The hazardous materials found on these premises have to be properly inspected, tested, and cleaned up. In a three year span between 2000-2002 there were over 7500 removal jobs totally over 150,000 kg of hazardous materials. A thorough understanding of the many challenges involved in working at these sites and properly abating the hazards is crucial.

Types of hazards associated with clandestine labs Individuals usually operate these makeshift labs with little to no training in chemistry. They employ crude homemade equipment to accomplish complex and dangerous chemical reactions. Due to the nature of the chemicals involved there is significant risk of explosion, fire and exposure. Clandestine lab operators have also been known to carry firearms and use booby traps; due to the paranoid delusions associated with meth usage.

The chemical agents used in the production of illegal drugs can include common household products such as methanol, ether, benzene, methylene chloride, trichloroethane, toluene, muriatic acid, sodium hydroxide, table salt, and ammonia. Some of the uncommon household items used include anhydrous ammonia, red phosphorus, iodine, and reactive metals. The poor handling, disposal, and mixing of incompatible chemicals leads to significant hazardous conditions. Once these chemicals are mixed and used in the making or `cooking` process, the production of other potentially harmful chemicals ensue.

Oftentimes, abatement workers focus strictly on the chemical hazards. However, there may be drug addicts and other visitors coming to the lab expecting it to still be operational. Wandering meth users tend to be dillusional, paranoid and desperate. Your personal protection can be at stake.

Health effects related to exposure

Working in clandestine drug labs poses significant dangers that one must be aware of or serious health effects could develop including the most extreme case of death. Knowledge of basic toxicology is crucial. The effect of a chemical can differ significantly depending on how it enters the body. Entry routes include inhalation, dermal absorption, and ingestion. Inhalation is the most common route of entry since we are continuously breathing. Noxious chemicals that are breathed in can rapidly enter the circulatory system (blood) and get transported throughout the body. Since we are performing manual labor during abatement of the lab our respiratory rate is higher leading to greater exposure. Inhalation exposure also depends on the size of the inhaled particles and the properties of the exposed chemical. Chemicals with higher solubilities tend to get absorbed into the blood system faster. Toxins can also be absorbed through the skin. Although one may not feel pain or discomfort when the chemical contacts the skin, once it is absorbed it can travel throughout the body in the blood. Ingestion is the least likely exposure method but workers should be wary of eating and drinking within the confines of the lab.

Solvents such as acetone, ether, freon, hexane, methanol, and toluene target the eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, liver, and kidneys causing such symptoms as irritation to skin, eyes, nose and throat; headache; dizziness; central nervous system depressant/depression; nausea; vomiting; and visual disturbance. Corrosive chemicals such as anhydrous ammonia, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide (lye), sodium thiosulfate, sulfuric acid (drain cleaner) target the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract causing symptoms such as irritation to upper respiratory tract; cough; eye and skin irritation, inflammation and burns; gastrointestinal disturbances; thirst; chest tightness; dyspnea; muscle pain; syncope; and convulsions. Metals such as iodine, lithium metal, red phosphorus, yellow phosphorus, sodium metal used in the process can target the eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, liver, kidneys, blood, cardiovascular system causing irritation to eyes, skin, nose and respiratory tract; lacrimation; headache; chest tightness; cutaneous hypersensitivity; abdominal pain; and jaundice.

Sampling and laboratory analysis (basic, short and sweet)

Many States have specific guidelines for clearance testing associated with clandestine laboratories. For clandestine methamphetamine operations, the clearance contractor is usually required to wipe surfaces and send the samples to an accredited laboratory. NIOSH and OSHA have not published validated methods for the analysis of methamphetamine in air. OSHA has published a CSI (Chemical Sampling Information) procedure that utilizes gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC/FID). However, most states require gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Detection limit requirements are sub microgram methamphetamine per wipe.

Samples can be taken from kitchen areas of the home where cooking activities are intensified. The clearance contractor should take samples from the refrigerator (inside and out), the stove/oven, and the gap between the counter and the stove where those nasty little toast crumbs build up.

Testing should also be performed where a wall or floor meets a cold/warmer exterior. The meth will tend to crystallize out at these temperature transition interfaces. HVAC ductwork should be inspected as well for settled residue. The vehicles used in transportation, if clearance is required, may need wipe testing. Dashboards and seats can be wiped and submitted for testing.

When searching for testing services, it is important to make sure your laboratory is aware of the clearance testing requirements for your State´s program. Also, make sure that the required instrumentation is available for use. Lastly, make sure the detection limits will meet your clearance needs.

Other types of laboratory testing may also be required that are related to the chemicals used in the manufacture of the illegal drug. The alchemist cooker may have used a variety of solvents and reactive metals to produce his/her illicit powders. Be sure to consult RCRA and State regulations regarding the testing and disposal of drummed wastes, building materials, carpet, wallboard, ceiling tiles, furniture, and appliances. There may be toxic materials buried or dumped in the surrounding grounds. A thorough investigation of the entire property is required.

Abatement & Hazardous Materials Handling Guidelines

Only trained personnel should be handling any chemicals. These individuals must be able to recognize chemical names and understand the effect of chemical combinations. Separating any incompatible chemicals can reduce the risk of explosion. Ventilate all confined spaces thereby limiting the concentration of explosive fumes and turn off any heat sources. Make sure all the lab equipment is turned off and no longer heating the chemicals.

Household materials, including carpets, sheetrock, ceiling tiles, upholstery, and draperies, may become contaminated with chemicals requiring abatement. During cleanup and removal of contaminated materials, workers should have personal protection equipment. This includes eye, hand, and foot coverings. Disposable gloves and a Tyvek jumpsuit are good precautions for direct contact exposure but if toxic fumes are suspected then a suitable breathing apparatus is needed. More often then not, abatement includes removal of contaminated materials, and scrubbing and painting solid surfaces. Depending on the site and extent of contamination, soil and groundwater may need extensive cleanup. 407 314-2975 or 770 590-7880 or 847 989-0211