Missouri unfortunately is known to be a meth haven with labs commonly being found in neighborhood homes.  Methamphetamine, also known as `meth,' `speed,' or `crank,' is a powerful stimulant that increases wakefulness and physical activity but can also induce symptoms ranging from extreme nervousness and hyperactivity to convulsions and irreversible brain damage.
Chronic use increases drug tolerance and deepens dependence, requiring users to take higher doses more frequently.  This often results in amphetamine psychosis, a condition characterized by extreme paranoia and violent behavior -- a key factor in the death of most addicts.
Small meth labs can be set up nearly anywhere — fields, woods, cars — but roughly two-thirds are found in residential settings. 
A typical lab requires little in the way of materials, and the ingredients used to manufacture meth are commercially available anywhere in the U.S.  The main ingredient can be either pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, two chemicals that are present in many over-the-counter cold and asthma medications, and the other chemicals are available in gasoline, drain cleaners, fertilizer, and matches.
Of the 32 chemicals that can be used in varying combinations to make or `cook' meth, one-third are extremely toxic and many are reactive, flammable, and corrosive. 
Nearly one in five labs is found because of fire or explosion, injuring or killing those involved in the manufacture of the drug as well as the law enforcement officers and the fire fighters who respond. During use and production, meth and other harmful chemicals are released into the air and distributed throughout the surrounding area.  In residential settings, these chemicals always collect on countertops, HVAC ducts, window sills, floors, etc.  They are easily absorbed into furnishings, carpets, and walls.
Painting over surfaces will not seal the surface.  The chemicals will leach through paint where it can be absorbed through the skin, mouth, eyes etc.  In addition, for every pound of meth produced, approximately five to six pounds of toxic byproducts remain. 
This waste is frequently poured down drains or spilled onto the ground, where chemicals can migrate into drinking wells and leach into the soil. 
Currently there are no national guidelines or regulations on how to clean up and remediate a residential meth lab for reoccupation.  States and localities are struggling to protect the public and find a solution that is practical for property owners. 
If you are purchasing a home and suspect the house has been affiliated with meth production or distribution there is a simple test (NARCO-Wipe) which can be used to test for the chemicals.  The wipe is simply rubbed against the surface in question, packed and shipped to a lab and then analyzed. 
Methamphetamine is a dangerous destructive drug.  Please be aware.
(John Cable is the co-owner of Triangle Environmental Science and Engineering Inc. located in Rolla. His column appears bi-weekly in The Rolla Daily News. He may be contacted at triangle.environmental@gmail.com.)