Fentanyl drug lab remediation has become an increasingly common issue in rural areas. Fentanyl suppliers are turning to rural rentals to provide them the privacy and the space they need to produce their products.
Why are Rural Rentals at Risk?
Rural rental properties are excellent locations for drug labs. They are private, cheap, and landlords often fail to run criminal and financial backgrounds on prospective tenants. Producers in these locations may go months or even years without drawing attention to themselves. During this time, the house becomes saturated with traces of the drug and its component chemicals.
By the time a producer has vacated the rental, substantial damage to both the structure and its internal systems is likely to have occurred. Normally, damage to walls and flooring by unruly tenants can be repaired by local contractors. The presence of drugs and the chemicals used in their production inside the home, however, creates a dangerous and possibly deadly situation. The damage caused by a property housing a drug lab is not always visible to the naked eye. Exposure to residue deposited on the walls, ceilings, floors, and fixtures of a home is highly dangerous, if not deadly.
Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a synthetic drug that is similar in effect to heroin but far more potent. Production of fentanyl in the United States has exploded. New drug labs are cropping up across the country, many of them in rural locations where large-scale production can go unnoticed.
Fentanyl exposure can prove deadly in even small quantities. First responders attending emergencies and arrests involving fentanyl labs have developed strict safety procedures to keep themselves safe. For untrained contractors, risk of accidental dermal exposure is high. Failure to correctly use protective equipment or to properly contain and dispose of objects and materials exposed to fentanyl will have deadly consequences. Even trace amounts left to linger in out-of-the-way spots inside ductwork and light fixtures is enough to kill.
Because of the serious risks exposure to the drug fentanyl can cause, you should always use a remediation specialist who specializes in fentanyl exposure. Contact us for more information about the risks and complications that fentanyl and other drug labs pose to your rental properties and your community.
