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They’re not the authorities, but meth decontaminators deal with just as much when they’re doing their jobs.
By Isra'a Emhail of RNZ
Suited in hazmat gear, masks, face shields, heavy-duty gloves, a pair of cleaners strategically park their vehicle, ready for a swift exit if mayhem strikes.
This is not any cleaning job, it’s meth decontamination. Property theft, squatters, aggressive dogs, booby-trapped furniture with needles, drug paraphernalia, stolen tapware, electricity compromised, overflowing toilets, piles of waste left for months and threats and intimidation from neighbours as well as offers of methamphetamine (meth) - these are just some of the cleaners’ experiences, according to an industry insider, who spoke to RNZ on condition of anonymity and has more than 10 years of experience.
"I can’t tell you enough about the difficulties, but they love it."
Before entering a property, cleaners conduct "drug sweeps" and ensure no people or vicious dogs remain onsite. They avoid confrontation and only a handful of times have needed to leave a site or call police because of threatening behaviour, they say.
After a health and safety assessment and review of the agreed-upon scope of work, the cleaners begin with waste removal. Some properties resemble those on hoarding shows, they say.
"In summer, it's particularly tough because it's very hot and they're fully kitted up in PPE and when they're removing waste out of the house or the exterior of the property and putting it into bins, it can take two days, three days just to remove the waste alone, not even the decontamination work."
Sometimes, the stench is so overwhelming that they keep their masks on all day.
"I remember one job … the guys did and the bags were full of nappies and they'd been sitting there for about three months and the team workers were gagging during the waste clean-up."
Once the house is cleared (and hopefully no wastebin scavengers to deal with), it’s finally time to do what they came for. Depending on contamination levels, that can involve a heavy-duty clean or a full chemical treatment. Bathrooms, laundries and kitchen rangehoods are among the most commonly contaminated areas, they say.
The cleaning process targets virtually every surface, including walls, ceilings, cupboards, carpets, appliances and plumbing. It involves HEPA vacuuming, multiple washes, chemical treatment and, in some cases, removing appliances, carpets or crawling on hands and knees to remove ceiling insulation where contamination is too high.
If the tapware has been compromised in a vacant property or if the hot water cylinder is stolen, they have to connect to a hose to access water.
The property is then left to dry before independent testing is carried out. If contamination levels remain above the threshold, the company returns to complete further work. "Our goal is first time clearance."
Cleaners undergo annual health checks and hold certifications including first aid, Site Safe, working-at-heights training and mask-fit accreditation, the insider says.
"We pay our guys a much higher rate per hour than ordinary cleaners. They're entering hazardous situations and we have to pay them a good wage to recognise what they're doing and the hard work they're doing."
Confidentiality is part of the job too. So, to anyone who asks: "We're only ever cleaners. We're only ever doing deep cleaners. We never say we are doing meth [decontamination]."
How does meth stick around?
Smoking or cooking meth, also known as P, releases airborne particles that can settle on surfaces and enter ventilation systems.
From April, the threshold requiring meth decontamination increased from 1.5 micrograms per 100 square centimetres to more than 15 µg/100 cm². Properties exceeding 30 µg/100 cm² are considered uninhabitable under the legislation. (The Real Estate Authority has further guidance on disclosure here for sales and RTA advice for landlords renting or tenants is here.)
Massey University applied environmental chemistry senior lecturer Nick Kim says the change followed the 2018 Chief Science Advisor Gluckman report, which found the 1.5 threshold had been intended for properties containing former meth labs – where chemicals associated with manufacturing would be used - rather than homes where meth had been consumed. The report concluded that levels below 15 μg/100 cm² "would be highly unlikely to give rise to any adverse effects".
"The new figures are for residential tenancies, where meth may have been used rather than manufactured. These are in scope for that purpose," Kim says.
About 10 years ago, Kim wrote a report for Housing New Zealand on meth contamination and later addressed the Standards New Zealand committee, which guides industry best practice on decontamination.
While Australia's threshold remains lower at 0.5 µg/100 cm², Kim says: "At both numbers, there is no quantifiable health effect. In that sense one is not 'higher risk' than the other, because the risk is so low that it is literally unquantifiable at both of these values."
'It's a dirty business'
The insider says most jobs when they started, prior to the Gluckman report, were for properties below 15 µg/100 cm², but levels had generally risen in properties, and now 75% of their jobs were above 15 "and that’s probably conservative".
Despite landlords, property managers and homeowners being allowed to carry out decontamination themselves, the cleaners say they’ve stayed busy.
"I think people are realising they don't want to decontaminate themselves. It's a dirty business."
Jobs can cost several thousand dollars but rarely exceed $10,000, they say.
"When we put out a quote now, and it's at 15 [µg/100 cm²], we'll also provide a quote if they want to get down to 1.5 [µg/100 cm²], as so many clients don't want meth in their house."
Although some owners still choose to test or clean to lower levels for peace of mind, Kim believes the new threshold has reduced stress for landlords and tenants.
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