Asbestos, Lead & Mold Removal - Meth/Fentanyl Decontamination

• Asbestos can’t be detected through normal human senses. Samples should be taken by a certified industrial hygienist and tested by a qualified laboratory to determine if asbestos is present in your home.

• Mold can eat away at the surfaces it lives on and damage can be extensive. In severe cases, mold can cause structural damage and make the home uninhabitable due to health risks. In smaller amounts it can ruin ventilation systems, carpeting, furniture, drywall and household items.

• The health risks associated with mold exposure include respiratory issues like coughing, wheezing, and exacerbation of severe asthma symptoms. Mold is also known to trigger allergic reactions and skin irritation.

Lead paint is most commonly found in older homes built before 1978, particularly on surfaces like windows, windowsills, doors, door frames, and exterior walls, as this is when lead was widely used in paint and can be present in both interior and exterior paint layers; older homes built before 1950 are especially likely to contain lead paint.

When renovating an old or historical property that has lead-based paint, the hazard is in the dust created when surfaces are sanded or drilled during the renovation. When lead-based dust is inhaled, touched, or swallowed, exposure can lead to: • Difficulties during pregnancy and birth defects • Other reproductive problems • High blood pressure • Digestive problems • Nerve disorders • Memory and concentration problems • Muscle and joint pain Children can be at greater risk of lead exposure. Young children tend to put their hands and other objects in their mouths. Children absorb more, which leads to brain and nervous system issues affecting more sensitivity from exposure that can lead to: • Damage to the brain and nervous system. • Behavior and learning problems. • Slowed growth. • Hearing problems. • Headaches.

• If you suspect there is drug activity taking place, your first call should be to the police department or sheriff’s office. Leave the affected area alone. Meth labs can have chemicals and equipment that can seriously injure or kill you, so this is best left to experienced professionals. • After the police have completed their investigation and if a meth lab was found, you will need to have the area properly characterized. In this case you would need to have a preliminary assessment of the area conducted by a state-certified consultant. The regulations require a preliminary assessment be conducted on all methamphetamine-affected properties. • Once the preliminary assessment has been completed, if contamination is present above the regulatory standards the site must be cleaned up. Options available to you include decontamination of the site or demolition.

• If you are planning to tear down or remove contaminated walls or surfaces, you must have the property inspected for asbestos and get a demolition permit from the Asbestos Unit of the Air Pollution Control Division. This is true if: • You are removing more than 32 square feet of material (the equivalent of a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of drywall), OR • You are removing any load-bearing structure. The Air Pollution Control Division can be contacted at (303) 692-3100, or you can get information on their website at www.colorado.gov/cdphe/asbestos.

• A methamphetamine-affected (meth-affected) property consists of areas on a property where methamphetamine has been manufactured, processed, cooked, disposed of, used or stored and all proximate areas that are likely to be contaminated as a result of the manufacturing, processing, cooking, disposal, use or storage of methamphetamine or the chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine. A multi-unit building (such as an apartment complex, condominium, or commercial building) may contain more than one methamphetamine-affected property.