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Even after removal of the chemicals and waste, residual amounts of substance may persist on walls, carpets, plaster, and wood. Basically any porous surface can absorb chemicals and fumes from meth labs.
Short term, or immediate reaction to residual chemicals can include: Irritation of skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Along with shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, headache, anxiety and lethargy.
Prolonged exposure to these residual chemicals can lead to skin burns, cancer, respiratory failure, liver, kidney and central nervous system damage.
Another health concern with left behind or raided labs is that of blood borne diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis from used needles and sharps.
Methamphetamine lab seizures in Missouri alone increased from 439 seizures in 1999 to 2,858 seizures in 2003. News media and government reports provided ample evidence that clandestine drug laboratories pose serious health hazards to law enforcement officers, fire fighters, property owners, children, and people living adjacent to the laboratories.
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