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<br />MAY-02-2003 12:23 <br /> <br />LEAGLE OF f'i'l CITIES <br /> <br />P.07/25 <br /> <br />members have become ill from exposure to meth lab chemicals on the <br />cloq of people living or worlcing at lab sites."" <br /> <br />3. Children <br />Children are particularly wlne:-able to the health effects associated with <br />drug labs becal.1Se they have inttnature organ systems, faster metabolic <br />ntes, wea..lter immune systems, th~ eat more foo(\, (\ripk more 1l."Ilids, <br />breathe more air per pO\ll).d of body weight, and certain behaviors such all <br />crawling, dirt eating, and frequent hand.-to-mouth contact expose them to <br />more hazards.26 "Roughly fifty-percent of Minnesota residences where <br />drug labs have been discovered have also housed ohildren. ~7 <br />Recognizing the special risks to children living in lab environments, "t11.e <br />}'finnesota legislature has recently expanded child neglect and <br />endangennent law to include endangerment through exposure to illegal <br />drug manufacture and sales.".8 <br /> <br />4. People Who Move Into Former Lab Sites <br />The Minnesota Department of Health has received reports of persons who <br />have moved into former meth lab 10catiOIll; and have subsequently <br />"suffered chest and respiratory symptoms months after lab chemicals were <br />removed. ,,29 ''Even at low levels, exposures.for long periods bWple <br />living in a former lab site could result in serious health effects.' <br /> <br />D. Increased Crime <br />Clandestine drug labs, such a:l mcthan1.phetamine labs, "have been associated with <br />increalled crime in the =\Il).ding community, including domestic abl1$e, theft <br />and child endangerment.',31 <br /> <br />E. Number of Lab Seizures Increasmg <br />Less than fifty meth labs were seized in Minnesota in 1998. Since that time, the <br />number of meth labs found each yw has been steadily increasing. In 200 1, <br />Minnesota officials discovered an average of almost one lab per day, or about 350 <br />during the calendar year.32 <br /> <br />V. CLEANlJP OF CONTAMINATED SITES <br /> <br />To assist cities, counties and the state ill determining how to adequately clean <br />methamphetamine conr".,..;nAlad sites, the Minnesota Department oHtealth has published <br />a mlUlual entitled: "General Cleanup Guidelines for Clandestine Drug Labs. ..33 A <br />clandestine drug lab is a general term referring to any "collection of materials and <br />ingredients used to manufacture illegal drugs. Methamphetamine is the drug most <br />commonly made in Minnesota labs.'i34 other illegal drup produced in clandestine labs <br />include: LSD, PCP, Ecstasy (MDAlMDPP) and others. <br /> <br />-4- <br />