Residential methamphetamine contamination in Boulder, Colorado: Incidence and implications

The manufacture and use of methamphetamine (meth) is a significant problem, in part because it can lead to the contamination of properties where it occurs. Meth contamination can lead to health issues for occupants as well as very high remediation costs for property owners. But even in a state like Colorado, where meth testing and remediation are highly regulated, the number of residences or other types of property that are contaminated more than contamination standards is unknown. Generally, testing for meth contamination occurs only after a property is identified as a likely site for meth use or manufacture, whether by law enforcement, the property owner, or a potential buyer. For this paper, a unique data set based on a real estate broker's meth screening program was used to determine the incidence of contaminated residences in general. Brokerage clients put 303 residential properties under contract between 2013 and 2022, of which 288 (95%) were screened for meth contamination. Meth was detected in 45 of the 288 screening tests (16%), often at trace levels, while 84% contained no detectable meth. Comprehensive testing was subsequently performed on 35 of these 45 properties and 10 (3.47%) of the original 288 screened properties contained meth contamination above the Colorado contamination standard of 0.5 µg/100 cm². Of the 288 screened properties, 9% exceeded 0.05 µg/100 cm², 6% exceeded 0.1 µg/100 cm², and 2% exceeded 1.5 µg/100 cm². While the sample size of this analysis was modest, it provides a true estimate of the incidence of meth-contaminated residential property and an indication of the public health significance of this issue.