Supplies for the Shake & Bake Synthesis Method

Police and prosecutors across California and the United States are seeing a boom in a small-scale methamphetamine manufacturing done in soda bottles (drug makers seem to prefer a 2 Liter Mountain Dew bottle).  Using the “shake-and-bake method,” meth cookers can produce hundreds of dollars’ worth of the drug in about an hour in their backyard, the woods, or a car.  All the needed materials can be easily purchased at any local convenience store and carried, transported, and hidden in backpacks or small storage containers.

According to law enforcement agencies across the country, over 90 percent of the methamphetamine busts associated with manufacturing are now using the extremely portable and “clandestine” Shake & Bake synthesis method.

What police are seeing are not the gleaming, high-production labs like the one in the popular television series “Breaking Bad”, where high-scale manufacturing methods such as the once popular “Red Phosphorous” and “Anhydrous Ammonia” (or P2P ) synthesis methods were once common.  Noe the shake-and-bake method, also called one-pot method, has made methamphetamine easier and faster to make but also has a significantly increased danger of explosions. When the ingredients — which include lithium batteries and camping-stove fuel — are mixed together to generate meth, the chemical reactions inside the bottle can race out of control and by generating extremely high heat (through the exothermic reaction) can ignite and explode.

One-pots are incredibly toxic and volatile… where someone traveling around with this “arsenal” of toxic chemicals can have the chemical reaction easily go wildly out of control and if not done properly, explode.  In fact, this is precisely how most of these One-Pot  meth producing criminals are discovered and caught.   Hazardous materials responders and police are also in harms way when responding to such incidents and discoveries due to the toxic nature of the chemicals used and produced such as anhydrous ammonia gas which if breathed briefly can cause significant and permanent lung damage and even death.  Reaction vessels (typically those 2-Liter Mountain Dew bottles) containing the toxic chemical mixture can also remain highly explosive and reactive even after the synthesis is complete.  This is why is it is crucial for emergency responders, police, inspectors and anyone who comes across these materials are trained to recognize these materials and to vacate the area immediately.  Hazardous materials responders will only use extreme caution when dealing with these materials (using flame and chemical proof suits and self contained breathing apparatus/ respirators)…  and for good reason!

The shake-and-bake process is so much easier than traditional meth labs.  The purity and potency of the meth depends on the skill of the cooker.  A proficient meth maker can produce 3 grams of methamphetamine from a single pack of cold medicine (such as  pseudoephedrine).  Cut with inert ingredients, that can yield 12 grams of street-level meth that sells for  about $100 a gram.  Meth cookers prefer the shake-and-bake method not just because it’s easier to create the drug, but also because it’s easier to escape detection.  Federal law limits purchases per person to 3.6 grams in one day and to 9 grams in 30 days.  A box of cold medicine can contain up to 3.6 grams. With every purchase, the customer has to show a photo identification, and the store is required to keep a record of the purchase.

BioMax Environmental has extensive experience in the assessment, sampling and cleanup over site of residue contamination associated with the illegal clandestine drug lab manufacturing of methamphetamine.  Our Senior Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) has over 18 years of experience in Northern California and neighboring states such as Nevada, Oregon, and Washington in the assessment, evaluation, and cleanup of such sites.

As officials searched the premises, a massive quantity of meth was uncovered, and investigators say the site was being used as a conversion laboratory where raw methamphetamine product was being converted to the highly purified (and most potent) finished product form called crystal meth (or “ice”).

What’s next…  According to California State Law (Under Health and Safety code Section 25400), the property will be posted by the County authorities as a hazardous site (due to residual toxic contamination) and must be assessed and evaluated through sampling as overseen by a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) to determined the levels and locations of the presence of any residual contamination.  Once determined by the CIH, a cleanup work plan will be prepared and implemented through a combination of material removal and decontamination methods performed by a California certified mitigation contractor.  Following the prescribed clean-up, the site will be re-sampled according to California regulatory requirements to verify that the property has been successfully decontaminated and determined acceptable for re-occupancy.

Read more:http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/320659

Presentation Title:  Properties Contaminated by Clandestine Drug Lab (Methamphetamine) Activities…  From Claims to Cleanup!

On March 15th, 2012, Mr. Michael A. Polkabla, CIH, REA of  BioMax will be presenting at the monthly Central Coast Claims Association meeting in San Jose, CA.  Contact us for a meeting flyer and attendance information or visit:  http://www.centralcoastclaims.org/

Educational Purpose or Objective:  Attendees will be familiarized with issues relative to the current California State Standard related to the requirement for the assessment and cleanup of properties impacted by illegal methamphetamine drug lab manufacturing activities.  This presentation will provide an overview of the prevalent problem surrounding the illegal manufacture of the illegal drug, methamphetamine, as well as the requirements of current regulatory standards in California as they relate to claims involving the assessment and cleanup of impacted properties.

Overview:  It has been over six years now since the Methamphetamine Contaminated Property Cleanup Act of 2005 (AB1078) had been implemented in the State of California under chapter 6.9.1 Section 25400.  Much has changed and been learned during this time with respect to the implementation of this standard as it relates to insurance coverage and claims as well as in the management of risks associated with real estate disclosure requirements when contamination issues are discovered or suspected.  The session will provide an overview of useful resources such as sampling tools such as field sampling test kits, current wipe sampling practices/methods, evolving techniques for effective cleanup, and the revised California Standard for clearance criteria based on a Cal/EPA adopted health-based target remediation standard.  The session will provide an overview and discussion of each of these current practices associated with the prudent field assessment, evaluation, analysis of methamphetamineresidues, cleanup/decontamination, and final clearance of properties contaminated as a result of illicit drug lab manufacturing or storage.  We will review and discuss each of the basic steps required from initiation of a claim, to the determination of contamination, and finally through clearance and release of the property by the designated California County administrative CUPA agency.

Speaker Name / Position & Title:  Presentation to be provided by Mr. Michael A. Polkabla, CIH, REA of BioMax Environmental, LLC.  Mr. Polkablais the Senior Certified Industrial Hygienist, and Principal with BioMax Environmental, LLC and has over 18 years of experience as a Certified Industrial Hygienist performing assessments, managing regulatory requirements, and overseeing the cleanup of properties contaminated with residues associated with the manufacture, storage, and use of methamphetamine drug lab contamination.

Agency Affiliation:  Mr. Polkabla represents private industry within the Environmental Consulting and Industrial Hygiene fields and has provided technical presentations on this topic to Cal/EPA, DTSC, the CUPA forum (Designated County Administrating Agencies), as well as to private business, property management associations, and mitigation cleanup firms/organizations.

Alliance Environmental Group:  3545 Victor Street, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Contact: Ed Work (408) 569-1059 or email:  edwork@alliance-Enviro.com

American Technologies, Inc., 30911 Wiegman Road, Hayward, CA 94544.  Contact:   Jason Pickett (510) 429-5000 or (510) 760-0398 cell or email:  Jason.Pickett@amer-tech.com 

CES – Controlled Environmental Services Inc.  PO Box 401, Oakley, CA 94561. Contact: Bob Kemp (925) 625-1736 office or (925) 383-0564 cell or ceskemp@aol.com

Complete Drying:  751 Laurel Street, Unit #538, San Carlos, CA 94070  Contact:  Ken Mercurio at (925) 525-7262.  email:  complete_drying@yahoo.com or website: www.completedrying.com

NCM Demolition and Remediation:  6644 Sierra Lane, Dublin, CA 94568 Contact: Blain Frost (925) 307-1500 office or email:  BFrost@NCMGroup.com

MG Remediation, Inc.  26062 Eden Landing Road, Suite 2, Hayward, CA 94545. Contact: Peter Mandel @ (510) 293-3009 office, (510) 300-7500 cell or email:  pmandel@mgremediation.com

PSC Now:  62117 Railroad Ave, San Ardo, CA 93450.  Contact: Edwin Sargenti (831) 627-2595 office or (831) 902-6260 cell or email:  Edwin.Sargenti@pscnow.com

PW Stephens: 4047 Clipper Court, Fremont, CA, 94538  contact:  Joe Garcia (510) 789-5034 cell or  email:   joeg@pwsei.com

Synergy Enterprises, 28436 Satellite Street, Hayward, CA 94545. Contact: Peter Landre (510) 259-1700 office. (510) 825-9619 cell or email:  plandre@synergycompanies.org

Professional services provided by BioMax on construction projects include regular consultation through the review and interpretation of soil, groundwater, and soil vapor sampling data to determine applicable site-specific safety procedure requirements and controls (as needed) during the performance of site work.  Site sampling data are thoroughly compared to current environmental standards and guidelines (such as PRGs CHHSLs, ESLs, etc.) and worker protection standards and guidelines (such as Cal/OSHA and Federal OSHA standards) so as to protect site workers, subcontractors, the public and the environment.  BioMax’s Certified Industrial Hygienists also regularly prepare detailed Site-Specific Environmental Health and Safety Plan(EHASP) documents and Site Safety and Health Plan (SSHP) documents as required by regulatory agencies such as Cal/EPA, DTSC, RWQCB, all California Air Quality Management Districts, local cities, and municipalities.  Managing environmental health and safety risk through the prudent compliance with such regulatory standards and requirements also protects the administrative needs of the contractors, clients and owners alike with the ultimate end goal of a successful and safe project.