Drug Residue Laboratory Testing
Drug labs harness toxic chemicals that are harmful to the environment and cause the property value to plummet. Sysco Environmental is an experienced occupational hygiene and remediation company that offers to test for drug residue and decontamination services carried out by our highly trained hygienists. The task will be completed in haste whilst protecting the public and you will receive a full report on the service upon completion.
Testing for Drug Residue
When testing for drug residue our surveyors will make a thorough visual inspection for the presence of any residue, dust, liquids, and/or spillages. If the hygienist is happy with the inspection, they will proceed onto air sampling and surface residue testing, three locations will be swabbed within the room to test for any residue and samples will be taken to be analysed at the lab.
If the hygienist can confidently confirm that there is no residue and the air quality is clean there is no further action to be taken. Samples will have a quick turn around and you will receive a certificate of certification to say the room is clean to re-occupy or if any other action is needed.
Steps taken whilst testing for drug Residue
- Our surveyors will begin by questioning where was it all located to get an idea of where to prioritise.
- Surveyors would then make a thorough visual inspection for the presence of any residue, dust, spillages/liquids.
- Air quality tests will be undertaken to test for any harmful air contaminants
Sample from the air quality within the room to tell us whether the air is clean enough to be occupied - Surface residue testing with a detection wipe to analyse for any spillage or leftover residue.
- Select 3 random locations within that room to swab for drug residue to test
- Confirm no residue – clean to a satisfactory level
- Results compared to national and international guidelines
- Plan a quick turn around on return samples
- Get a certificate of certification to say it is clean to reoccupy.
Health Risks of Drug Residue
Drug residue can be harmful to the environment and cause property values to plummet. When reoccupying a property that has previously been exposed to an illegal drug lab it is important to carry out the correct procedures to ensure it can be safety re-inhabited.
A former drug lab will have had highly toxic chemicals present including phosphine and pseudoephedrine. The usual short-term health risks are:
- Migraines
- Burns
- Skin irritation
- Weight loss
Long term health effects can include:
- Liver damage
- Kidney damage
- Cancer
Adults usually can cope with potential issues to drug exposure much easier than children. Children who are exposed have a very high chance of developing life-long health issues.