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Meth contamination in Boulder buildings

Christopher Kelley
Posted 1/29/23

On Monday, December 19, 2022, the Boulder Public Library’s main branch at 1001 Arapahoe Avenue announced its closure due to traces of methamphetamine having contaminated their bathrooms.

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Meth contamination in Boulder buildings

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On Monday, December 19, 2022, the Boulder Public Library’s main branch at 1001 Arapahoe Avenue announced its closure due to traces of methamphetamine having contaminated their bathrooms. Further testing showed meth contamination in the bathroom’s air ducts and HVAC system, which led to the contamination of some of the library’s seating areas.

On Tuesday, January 10, 2023, RTD announced that it would be closing its bathrooms in the Downtown Boulder Station also due to meth contamination. On January 11 the city of Englewood had to close its library, the bathrooms in their Civic Center, and another one of their municipal buildings due to meth contamination.

Additionally, on January 20 RTD relocated the Downtown Boulder Station’s outlet to the Boulder Junction at Depot Square Station. According to an official statement from RTD, “the move comes as crews remediate the Downtown Boulder Station after discovering traces of methamphetamine in restrooms and the adjacent hallway last week”.

For now the Downtown Boulder Station’s interior facilities will remain closed for an undetermined length of time as cleanup of the contaminated site is completed.

“Bus service will not be reinstated at Boulder Junction at Depot Square Station, however, some routes have bus stops near the station, such as the 225, Bound, and BOLT. Additionally, the city of Boulder’s HOP service drops off nearby. RTD apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause customers,” RTDs statement reads.

Excessive meth use, as well as meth production, leaves a clear tar-like residue that contaminates hard surfaces like walls and countertops, and can contaminate and travel through HVAC ducts, as well as seep into softer surfaces like furniture and carpeting. Heavy contamination can cause meth byproducts to leak from the property’s drywall, which can be hazardous to infants, pets, and older adults.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) states that composite sample results above 0.2 ug/100cm2 indicate contamination. The property owner has a choice of having the affected property assessed and decontaminated or having a full clearance sampling conducted on the property by a state-certified consultant.

“Statutes and regulations require that properties contaminated by meth labs or meth use be cleaned up in accordance with standards established by the state Board of Health, or the property owner may elect to demolish the property instead,” The CDPHE website details.

“Meth-contaminated properties that don’t meet the regulatory requirements are deemed a public health nuisance.”

Remediation of a contaminated property can be a lengthy and expensive process. The process begins with a preliminary assessment conducted by a certified consultant; this assessment will typically lead to the hiring of a certified tester, which can cost up to $1,500 per test. If the test results deem the property contaminated, clean-up efforts are conducted until tests provide results under the state limit.

Considering that meth can contaminate wood, drywall, and HVAC ducts to the point of having to be completely replaced, property owners can be expected to clean up and test their properties several times before remediation is complete.

One Denver property owner spent over $35,000 to be able to rent their home to tenants again. The meth contamination caused them to have to replace their appliances, cabinets, and HVAC system, and have to hire certified meth testers and cleanup crews up to four different times.

The Boulder Public Library reopened on January 9 and has restricted use of their public restrooms in order to dissuade heavy meth use and recontamination of their facility. Unfortunately the library is experiencing issues with staffing security personnel. In recent months the library lost two security guards who reportedly resigned due to reasons involving people smoking meth in the bathrooms.

Business owners can determine if their bathrooms are being utilized for excessive drug use by observing suspicious activity and smells. Property buyers looking to purchase a new business property or home can check with such local agencies as the health department, drug task force, or local law enforcement to see if their address is on a contaminated property listing or was a known drug site.

Strong traces of ammonia or ether, which can smell of cat urine or rotten eggs, are a sure sign of a property having been used as a meth lab. Property owners can also purchase meth testing kits in order to ascertain if their property is in need of certified cleanup and testing.

Colorado’s rate of deaths related to drug overdoses has nearly doubled over a four-year span, with meth and fentanyl being the main drugs responsible. Meth use and production is unfortunately abundant in mountain communities, though smaller towns do not experience the same influx of people coming and going within their public buildings as cities do.