The flow on effect of a toxic drug has hit home owners with a hefty bill and a headache.
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A forensic cleaner has spoken out about the high number of properties contaminated by methamphetamine, known as 'meth', throughout regional NSW.
Bryan Norris has run a bio hazard and forensic cleaning business, called Bio-Cleanse, out of Goulburn for the past 15 years. The company services regional Australia including the Southern Tablelands, Southern Highlands, Canberra and the South Coast.
He said meth decontamination was a "very large part of our work".
Mr Norris said he regularly decontaminated houses, motel rooms and even rental cars that had been exposed to the drug.
"It's happening a lot with rental properties," he said.
"People are buying properties, then moving in and in a couple of weeks they feel crook and they find out it was a meth house.
"They've just spent all that money moving in and they've got no insurance to cover it.
"They can't rent it out, they can't live in it, they've got no money to decontaminate it and it's just sending them up the wall."
He said testing before purchasing a property was inexpensive, while decontamination could cost upwards of $50,000.
If you have recently moved into a property and are experiencing headaches, nausea, and insomnia Mr Norris recommended getting it tested.
"It could happen in a motel room. If you're in a motel room getting headaches and can't sleep I would be asking for another room," he said.
"It's a pretty big thing in society at the moment.
"Meth contaminated properties are in our community right now and we don't even know about it."
He said contamination was caused by previous tenants cooking or smoking meth.
Luckily, there are a few tell-tale signs buyers or potential tenants can look out for.
Corrosion around bathroom and kitchen sinks as well as burn marks in the yard are typical of a house that has been used to manufacture the drug.
Although, Mr Norris said it was "getting harder and harder [to see the signs] because they are getting smarter".
"We've walked into properties and you just wouldn't even know."
"Last week we did a house... that was more than 600 times above the safe level."
Decontamination is an intensive job that can take more than three days to complete.
First, because meth is attracted to electricity anything electrical is stripped. This includes: all power points, light switches, light fittings, and electrical appliances.
Next, all the internal doors, carpets and blinds are taken out before the property is thoroughly cleaned.
Then a chemical foaming agent is applied. The foam is left to sit, and reapplied, over four hours before it is rinsed off.
Finally, the building is retested and certified for habitation.