If you suspect or have been notified that there has been a methamphetamine (meth) clandestine laboratory (clan lab) inside a property, it is important to undertake necessary testing, cleaning and validation (re-testing) to make sure the house is safe before anyone else moves in.
The following information is designed for:
- property owners and landlords
- property managers
- realestate agents
- illicit drug contamination cleaning and testing companies
Some houses and commercial buildings may be used to illegally make, grow, or smoke drugs inside.
Common illegal drug activities in buildings include:
- clan lab: a house or property used to manufacture or ‘cook’ illicit drugs, especially meth
- meth smoke house: a house or property used to smoke meth, but not manufacture meth
- cannabis grow house: a house or property used to grow an illegal crop of cannabis (marijuana)
These activities can contribute to damage or potential contamination from chemical residues.
Houses where meth has been manufactured are considered a higher risk to public health. Meth contamination can sometimes stay on walls, floors, furniture and curtains long after the people who used to live there are gone. If not cleaned properly, this contamination can cause potential health problems for anyone new living in the property, particularly pregnant women and children.
Houses where meth has only been smoked but not made are generally considered a lower risk to health.
Other types of clan labs (e.g. cannabis oil extraction, psilocybin mushrooms, etc.) and houses where drugs have only been smoked or where cannabis has been grown are considered a lower risk to health, but may still require a level of testing and/or standard cleaning to remove any residues (chemicals) that may be present on surfaces.
Responsibilities of home owners, landlords, property managers and real estate agents
If you become aware that a property has been used:
- as a clan lab
- for smoking meth inside or
- growing cannabis
you have a responsibility to ensure the property is safe for sale or renting. It is important to understand your legal responsibilities under the:
- Residential Tenancy Act 1987 to make sure that any rented property is clean and complies with laws managed by the Consumer Protection division (external site) from the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
- Public Health Act 2016 to make sure human health is protected. Local governments have enforcement powers to make sure a house used as a meth clan lab is properly tested, cleaned and made safe to live in by the property owner
Guide for managing meth clan lab contamination in homes
The Guide for Managing Meth Contamination in Homes: Landlords, Property Managers and Real Estate Agents (PDF 1MB) will help you to understand how to professionally clean up and test a house following contamination to make sure it is safe for people to live in. In summary, follow the below steps:
Step 1: Talk to your insurance company
Before cleaning check if the home insurance covers meth contamination. Some policies don’t include this, so it’s important to know what’s covered.
Step 2: Choose a reputable and qualified testing and clean-up company
Step 3: Confirm the property is safe to live in by requesting a validation report
It is important that you can show evidence that the property is safe before renting or selling.
This means that following proper testing and cleaning you are provided a validation report showing the property has meth residue levels below those that may pose any risk to human health and below any national health investigation levels.
Tenants and home buyers
Tenants and home buyers should read testing or cleaning a house for drug contamination to learn more about renting or before buying a home suspected or known to be a clan lab.
Testing and remediation (clean-up) companies
The Guide for Testing and Remediation of Methylamphetamine and Illicit Drug Residues in Residential Properties (PDF 1MB) outlines the best practice requirements recommended for use by companies that test, clean-up and validate a property following drug contamination to make a property safe to live in.
The Department of Health strongly encourages illicit drug contamination testing and remediation companies to adhere to this guide.
The process outlined in the guide is designed to reduce surface residue levels below those that may pose any risk to human health and below any national health investigation level (HIL) for the relevant drug. The guide covers:
- preparing for works at a property
- conducting sample testing, including screening and detailed assessments
- developing a remediation (clean-up) action plan
- conducting clean-up and remediation of a contaminated property
- conducting validation testing
- composing sample, clean-up and validation reports.
Consumers are encouraged to use the Checklist for Hiring Companies to Test or Clean-up Meth Contamination (PDF 500KB) to help them choose a reliable testing and cleaning company and understand what level of cleaning is needed.
Illicit drug testing or remediation companies need to have the necessary competencies, follow regulatory guidance, and maintain strict ethical standards.
Reporting illicit drug offences
If you suspect illcit drug manufacturing report to the WA Police (external site).
Useful resources
The following resources are designed to support landlords, property managers and realestate agents clean a property following contamination: