REMEDIATION COST $5,000-$40,000+

“Straightforward decontamination jobs can cost $5,000 to $10,000, according to Mazzuca.”-CNN

https://money.cnn.com/2013/02/12/real_estate/home-meth-lab/index.html

“She charges upwards of $15,000 to decontaminate a single apartment. A house can cost between 30 and $40,000.” – NPR

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5059893

MINOR & MAJOR HEALTH IMPACT

“Short-term exposure to these chemicals can lead to headaches, nausea, dizziness and fatigue. Over a long period, liver and kidney damage, neurological problems, and increased risk of cancer can occur, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.” – CNN

https://money.cnn.com/2013/02/12/real_estate/home-meth-lab/index.html

5% OF HOMES MAY HAVE UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF METH RESIDUE (ESTIMATE)

The exact number of homes that have meth contamination in Utah is unknown.  I have called the state and local health departments and these numbers are not known.  Based on the research below I estimate it is at least 5%.  

 “When someone produces or uses illegal methamphetamines in homes, sheds, garages, trailers, and businesses—places where other people live, sleep, eat, and work—these areas are left contaminated with potentially dangerous levels of toxic chemicals. Exposure to these chemicals may cause symptoms similar to those experienced by meth users, including nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and breathing difficulties.” – Salt Lake County Health Department

1. 2005 – “An estimated 12.3 million Americans, or 5% of the adult population, have used methamphetamine at least once, claims a US expert on substance misuse.” -US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1199019/
2. 2019 – “The number of methamphetamine-related fatal overdoses in Utah more than doubled in the past five years, as law enforcement has seen a stunning increase in large meth busts statewide.” -Salt Lake Tribune
3. “Meth use has been rising rapidly nationwide, but especially in the West, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Utah had the ninth-highest rate of deaths involving psychostimulants with the potential for abuse — chiefly meth…” – Salt Lake Tribune
4. “Much of the meth production has shifted to “super labs” in Mexico. However, meth use remains a large problem in Utah. Individuals seeking treatment for meth represent roughly 28 percent of all substance abuse treatment program admissions. Of those in treatment, nearly 75 percent are women and mothers.”  – Utah Department of Health http://www.health.utah.gov/meth/Pages/AboutMeth.html