Properties where meth labs are discovered must be professionally decontaminated by a state-licensed contractor before they can be deemed fit for human habitation again. Local enforcement of that law falls to county health officials, who work closely with law enforcement to keep tabs on arrest records and make sure properties are cleaned up. Joe Mazuka, the operations manager for Meth Lab Cleanup Company, says the toxic waste can linger indefinitely if it’s not addressed.
“It doesn’t go away. A lot of people think meth has a half-life or something. It does not,” said Mazuka.
