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SALEM -- There's more to cleaning a house where law enforcement has dismantled a meth lab than just running a sweeper and scrubbing down walls -- try tearing out the carpeting, tossing the couch and destroying the appliances and personal property.
Then in some cases remove the dry wall and hope the studs get to stay. Tear out the duct work, too, And possibly the furnace. Definitely repaint.
Once testing shows the dangerous chemicals that have seeped into every pore of the house are no longer there or a danger, then maybe the structure can be fixed up and reoccupied -- but only after the city lifts the home's condemned status.
"We take placards down when the cleaning contractor says it's safe to occupy," Salem City Housing Inspector Dan Rice said.
Since city council approved an ordinance in October 2016 to reduce the public's exposure to health risks associated with clandestine drug labs, the new rules have come into play half a dozen times, Rice said.
For the property owner, Rice said the cleanup can be a hefty expense, anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 or even more, depending on how much the cleaning contractor has to do.
Then there's also the cost of replacing what's necessary to make the house liveable again. He said appliances have to come out and they're trashed. They've had times when the flooring had to come up, not just carpeting or tile, but actual floor boards. The heating and ventilation can spread the contamination from the meth cook to other parts of the house.
In the case of furniture, he said some hard surface furniture can be cleaned, but soft furniture is destroyed.
"Most of the contents in a home would be destroyed due to the threat of contamination and contaminating other locations," he said.
Most of the locations where meth labs have been found in Salem since the ordinance took effect have been rentals, so the actions of the tenants have fallen on the property owners.
"Everybody's done what they're required to do," Rice said, adding he's thankful for that because of the importance of making sure a former meth lab site is properly cleaned.
Rice said it's kind of unsettling for the property owners because of the dollar amount they have to spend, but they also seem to realize it's something that has to be done. Unfortunately, it's becoming part of the cost of doing business.
According to the ordinance, the property owner must "contract with certified/licensed environmental testing and cleanup firms, approved by the city of Salem, to conduct an on-site assessment, complete cleanup and remediation testing and follow-up testing, and determine the property risks are sufficiently reduced to allow safe human occupancy of the dwelling."
The property owner also has to provide a copy of the cleaning contract to the city with 14 days of the declaration of a public health hazard, notify the city of the actions taken and reach an agreement with the city on the cleanup schedule no later than 120 days after the declaration. The city must receive written documentation of the cleaning process and written proof from the cleaning contractor that the cleaning was done and the house is safe again. Rice said they've had good cooperation from the companies, who do pre-cleanup testing inside a residence to check the levels of chemicals and then test again after the fact. The companies show the inspectors what they've done. The cleanup can be fairly quick, a couple weeks or possibly more if necessary.
"Everything's been proper," Rice said, noting that so far the ordinance has worked out as envisioned.
The DTF, Salem police and the housing inspectors all lobbied city council for the clandestine drug labs ordinance to ensure the properties affected get cleaned up properly so that some unsuspecting tenant who comes along later doesn't face an unknown health risk. Part of the requirement for property owners is full disclosure to a potential buyer or tenant about the home's past history as a clandestine drug lab.
The cleanup process begins with the discovery of a meth lab by law enforcement, such as the discovery last week on East Third Street. Once the Columbiana County Drug Task Force agents and Salem police officers were invited into the house and saw what was present, the occupants, which included two adults and two young children, were removed. The ordinance requires the police department to notify Children Services, which they did in this case, and the housing department, which they also did, along with letting the neighbors know what's happening. Housing Inspector Roy Brown prepared the placard for placement on the house, declaring 1078 E. Third St., as unfit for human habitation and condemned. The order said the house must remain vacant permanently until properly tested and cleaned by a professional contractor at owner's expense.
The owner, Mark Slocum, was notified and according to Rice, is already familiar with the process because he went through it with another property he owns in Salem with different tenants.
Salem Police Chief J.T. Panezott also issues a notice to the owner of a rental property regarding drug cases such as this that explains how Ohio Revised Code requires a landlord to begin the eviction process against a tenant, whether a charge is filed or not. He said it notifies that landlord or property owner about what's going on in their property.
"I look at it as more of a protection for the landlord," Panezott said. "If you let them continue to live there and do it again, then you're part of the problem."
He said the property owners affected by meth labs in Salem have "unfortunately had to pay a lot of money to get their property cleaned, but they have cooperated with our housing authority."
Both Rice and Panezott said the ordinance has worked out. Costs incurred by law enforcement and the fire department also can be levied through the ordinance for dismantling a meth lab. The ordinance includes an appeals process and fines for violations.
mgreier@salemnews.net