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Meth Lab Awareness Clues
Signs of a methamphetamine lab include large quantities of common household products. Used as directed, these household products are generally safe. Mixed together or used improperly, they can become explosive and produce toxic fumes. One of the first indicators of a meth lab is the storing of large amounts of household items such as the following.
These chemicals are commonly associated with meth labs:
| Acetone |
Alcohol (isopropyl or rubbing) |
| Anhydrous ammonia and ammonium sulfate (fertilizer) |
Battery acid (sulfuric acid) |
| Bleach |
Coleman fuel |
| Drain cleaner (sulfuric acid or caustic soda) |
Drain openers such as Red Devil lye |
| Heet and Iso-Heet, gasoline additives (methanol/alcohol) |
Hydrogen peroxide |
| Iodine (both crystal and liquid) |
Lithium batteries |
| Matches (red phosphorous) |
Mineral Spirits |
| Muriatic acid |
Over the counter cold pills containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine |
| Salt (table or rock) |
Sodium and Lithium metal |
| Starting Fluid (organic ether) |
Toluene |
| Trichloroethane (gun cleaning solvent) |
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Equipment commonly associated with meth labs:
| Aluminum foil |
Bed sheets |
| Blenders |
Bottles; such as pop, water and milk bottles |
| Chemistry glassware |
Camp stoves |
| Cheesecloth |
Coffee filters |
| Cotton balls |
Duct tape |
| Electric portable hot plates, single and double |
Funnels |
| Garden spray jugs |
Gas cans |
| Jugs |
Paper towels |
| pH test strips |
Plastic tubing |
| Pressure cookers |
Propane tanks and thermos |
| Pyrex dishes |
Rags |
| Rubber and latex gloves |
Strainers |
| Swimming pool chemicals |
Thermometers |
| Turkey basting wands |
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Unusual behavior by residential tenants / building occupants may be indicators of a meth lab:
- Access denied to landlords, neighbors, and other visitors
- Chemical staining on walls and floors
- A multitude of expensive home items such as stereos with no visible means of support
- Cash purchases and payments
- Covering or blacking-out of windows
- Security measures such as cameras or baby monitors outside of buildings
- Guard dogs
- Unusual traffic patterns, such as excessive night traffic or large numbers of visitors with short stays
- Burn pits, stained soil or dead vegetation indicating dumped chemicals or waste from a meth lab
- Abnormal chemical odors not normally associated with apartments, houses or buildings. These odors may be similar to sweet, bitter, ammonia or solvent smells.
- Large amounts of household chemicals found in odd places such as:
- Bathrooms
- Kitchens
- Laundry rooms
- Motel rooms
Illegal dump sites and unauthorized dumpster use:
- Waste cans or dumpsters emitting strong chemical odors
| Rags with red and/or yellow stains |
| Large number of pill blister packaging from over-the-counter cold, diet or allergy remedies |
| Empty containers from white gas, ether, starting fluids, lye or drain openers, paint thinner, acetone, or alcohol |
| Compressed gas cylinders, or camp stove (Coleman) fuel containers |
| Packaging from Epsom salts or rock salt |
| Propane tanks or coolers containing strong ammonia odors |
| Pyrex/glass/Corning containers, with dried chemical deposits remaining |
| Bottles or containers connected with rubber hosing and duct tape |
| Coolers, thermos bottles, or other cold storage containers |
| Respiratory masks and filters or dust masks |
| Funnels, hosing and clamps |
| Discarded rubber or latex gloves |
| Coffee filters, pillow cases or bed sheets stained red (used to filter red phosphorous), or containing a white powdery residue |
IF YOU SUSPECT A METH LAB:
- Leave the site at once and report it
- Do not open any coolers, container or boxes
- Do not touch any items
- Don't shut off any electrical supplies
- Limit time inside scene
- Handling meth chemicals and/or meth lab waste residue can burn your skin and eyes. Breathing the gases can cause respiratory damage
- Try not to alert the suspects of your suspicions
WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you discover a meth lab or the remnants of a lab, call 9-1-1. If you suspect there might be a meth lab at a property within the city of Portland, call the Portland Police Bureau Drugs & Vice Division at 503-823-0246.
Education and Community Outreach:
The Drugs and Vice Division provides meth lab awareness training. Contact the Drugs and Vice Division at 503-823-0246
Oregon Partnership
Oregon Partnership is a statewide non-profit promoting healthy kids and communities through drug and alcohol awareness, prevention programs, and a 24 hour crisis line for treatment referrals. They work with schools and community coalitions statewide, and their resource library is open to all to educate on the dangers of substance abuse.
More Resources:
Links for more information about Meth
(PDF Document, 186kb)
MAP
(PDF Document, 183kb)
January - April | MAP
Methamphetamine - Frequently Asked Questions
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