If we've received evidence that your property has been used to manufacture methamphetamine, we will instruct you to test the property and decontaminate it, if necessary.
Ōu takohanga mehemea nōu tētahi whare i tāhawahawatia ai ki te whakapōauau pī Your obligations as an owner of a methamphetamine contaminated property
How to arrange testing of your property
Testing of the property should be carried out by contractors who are:
- qualified
- equipped
- experienced to perform hazardous tasks.
To find meth testing contractors, check the Yellow Pages or search on the Internet.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) advises that professionals who assess and test a property must operate independently of commercial decontamination (remediation) companies.
The NZ Standard for testing and decontamination of methamphetamine-contaminated properties sets out how to test and decontaminate your property.
The standard requires that you vacate and decontaminate the property. If you have tenants you need to make sure they leave the property.
When there is evidence of a lab
If evidence of a lab exists, the property will need to be tested. If the contamination level is above 1.5ug/100cm2, the property must be vacated and decontaminated to below 1.5ug/100cm2.
For garages, sheds, or any place where people aren't living, decontamination must bring the level below 3.8ug/100cm2.
The property's LIM report will show it as being contaminated. Once a report from a suitable qualified and experienced practitioner has been received, we will update the LIM to reflect that the property has been decontaminated and poses no health risk.
If no evidence of a lab has ever existed
If no evidence of a lab has ever existed, but a test has revealed a contamination level above 15ug/100cm2, the property will need to be vacated and decontaminated to below 15ug/100cm2.
The property's LIM report will show it as being contaminated. Once a report from a suitable qualified and experienced practitioner has been received, we will update the LIM to reflect that the property has been decontaminated and poses no health risk
No action is required from any party if the level of methamphetamine contamination is below 15ug/100cm2, and no evidence of a lab has ever existed.
After the property is decontaminated
When your property has been decontaminated, you need to arrange a second test to ensure the property is no longer contaminated.
You will need to send a copy of the test results to us.