How do I know if a property has been a drug lab or used for smoking meth?

Often you can't tell by looking - methamphetamine residue is invisible and odourless. Warning signs of a former manufacturing site can include unusual chemical staining or smells, blacked-out windows, tampered-with plumbing or wiring, or a police notification. But because most contamination comes from use rather than manufacture, the only way to know for certain is to test. That's especially worth doing before you buy.

How does the testing work?

We start with screening swabs across the property, calibrated at the 0.5 microgram level, which give a quick yes/no on whether residue is present. If a screen is positive, we take an analytical swab nearby and send it for quantitative analysis at a NATA-accredited laboratory, so you get a reliable number. A typical home needs around six to twelve samples. You get a clear report on where we sampled, what was found and what it means.

Do you clean up or remediate the property?

No - Airsafe assesses and tests, but we don't do the decontamination, and that independence is the point. If a property tests above the guideline, a specialist remediation contractor cleans it; we can write the specification, then re-test afterwards and issue an independent clearance report confirming it meets the guideline. Because we don't profit from the cleanup, our result has no stake in the outcome.

Should I test before buying a property?

It's well worth it. A pre-purchase test is inexpensive relative to the cost of a property, and it tells you whether you're about to buy a contamination problem - remediation can run from a few thousand dollars to a great deal more. If you're concerned about a property you're buying, selling, renting or managing, call us on 1300 888 338 and we'll talk you through it.

Clandestine Drug Laboratories

Worried that a property has been used to manufacture drugs, or to smoke methamphetamine? Whether you're buying, selling, renting, managing or insuring it, Airsafe can test the property, tell you whether it's contaminated, and - once it's been cleaned - confirm that it's safe to occupy again.

Since 1988, Airsafe has assessed hazardous contamination in buildings across Sydney, NSW and Australia, for property owners, real estate agents, government and industry.

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Drug contamination in properties

A “clan lab” is a property that’s been used to manufacture illegal drugs – most often methamphetamine (ice). The chemicals involved, including hydrochloric acid, phosphine gas and a range of volatile organic compounds, permeate walls, ceilings, floors, soft furnishings and air-conditioning systems. Former manufacturing sites are the worst affected, and in extreme cases the only fix is demolition.

But manufacture isn’t the only source. When methamphetamine is smoked, the vapour settles on surfaces throughout the property in the same way – and in fact, around four out of five contaminated properties test positive because of drug use, not manufacture. Either way, the residue is invisible and odourless, and it doesn’t go away on its own.

Health risks

Methamphetamine residue on surfaces can be absorbed through the skin or inadvertently ingested, and is a particular concern for children, who spend more time in contact with floors and surfaces.

A number of symptoms can come from exposure to drug residue and the chemicals left behind in a former lab, including:

headaches, nausea and dizziness
breathing difficulties and chest or sinus irritation
skin and eye irritation
sleep and behavioural problems, especially in children.

What “contaminated” means

The national remediation guidelines set an investigation level for methamphetamine on indoor surfaces of 0.5 micrograms per 100 square centimetres. Below that, a property is generally considered safe to occupy; above it, the property needs to be remediated before it’s safe. That level applies whether the contamination came from manufacture or from use.

It matters commercially as well as for health: sellers and agents can have disclosure obligations where contamination is known, and a clear test result protects everyone in the transaction.

How Airsafe assesses a property

We start with a screening assessment – swab tests across the property using immunoassay swabs calibrated at the 0.5 microgram level, which give a quick yes/no on whether residue is present. Where a screen comes back positive, we collect an analytical swab from an adjacent area and send it for quantitative analysis at a NATA-accredited laboratory, so you get a reliable number, not just an indication. A typical residential assessment involves around six to twelve samples, depending on the size of the property and what we find.

If you already have a strong reason to believe a property is contaminated – a police notification, for example – we can go straight to quantitative sampling. Either way, you get a clear report: where we sampled, what was found, how it compares against the guideline, and what it means for occupying, buying or remediating the property.

Airsafe’s drug lab testing services

Remediation and clearance

If a property tests above the guideline, it needs to be decontaminated by a specialist remediation contractor. Airsafe doesn’t do the decontamination ourselves – but that’s exactly why our testing is worth having. We can write the remediation specification, and once the contractor has finished, we re-test the property and issue an independent clearance report confirming it now meets the guideline.

Because we don’t profit from the cleanup, our result has no stake in the outcome – when we say a property is clear, it’s because the numbers say so. That independence is the whole point of bringing in an assessor who isn’t the one doing the work.

Thorough visual examination of drug testing lab

Why choose Airsafe?

Identifying and assessing hazardous contamination is what Airsafe has done since 1988. Our occupational hygiene team can help you navigate a stressful situation calmly and factually, with sampling and reporting that stands up – whether you need a pre-purchase check, a result for a tenancy or insurance claim, or clearance after a remediation. For a buyer or an owner, that’s real peace of mind: a clear, definitive answer about whether a property is safe.

4.9 stars from over 600 Google reviews and counting, from property owners, agents, builders and government clients across Australia.

“We recently appointed Airsafe to undertake air monitoring and reporting at a brownfield development site during the demolition stage. Their proactive, professional and cost and time-efficient approach and implementation were excellent.”– Carl O. Peterson, December 2021

“I use Airsafe on a regular basis for commercial construction. Liam Matthews and the Airsafe team always get the job done professionally, safely, and in a prompt manner as required. If only I could give more stars.”– Jordan Kissane, September 2021

“AIRSAFE has become our go-to company for all air monitoring needs. Working for a large paint company, we’ve found their service not only exceptional but also backed by valuable advice. They are consistently reliable, flexible, and a pleasure to work with. These qualities made it an easy decision to choose them as our preferred supplier.”– Nik Pappas, November 2025

FAQs

Often you can’t tell by looking – methamphetamine residue is invisible and odourless. Warning signs of a former manufacturing site can include unusual chemical staining or smells, blacked-out windows, tampered-with plumbing or wiring, or a police notification. But because most contamination comes from use rather than manufacture, the only way to know for certain is to test. That’s especially worth doing before you buy.
The national guidelines set an investigation level for methamphetamine of 0.5 micrograms per 100 square centimetres on indoor surfaces. Below that, a property is generally considered safe to occupy; above it, it needs to be remediated before it’s safe. The level applies whether the contamination came from manufacturing drugs or from smoking them.
We start with screening swabs across the property, calibrated at the 0.5 microgram level, which give a quick yes/no on whether residue is present. If a screen is positive, we take an analytical swab nearby and send it for quantitative analysis at a NATA-accredited laboratory, so you get a reliable number. A typical home needs around six to twelve samples. You get a clear report on where we sampled, what was found and what it means.
No – Airsafe assesses and tests, but we don’t do the decontamination, and that independence is the point. If a property tests above the guideline, a specialist remediation contractor cleans it; we can write the specification, then re-test afterwards and issue an independent clearance report confirming it meets the guideline. Because we don’t profit from the cleanup, our result has no stake in the outcome.
It’s well worth it. A pre-purchase test is inexpensive relative to the cost of a property, and it tells you whether you’re about to buy a contamination problem – remediation can run from a few thousand dollars to a great deal more. If you’re concerned about a property you’re buying, selling, renting or managing, call us on 1300 888 338 and we’ll talk you through it.

Contact us about drug residue testing today

A clear test result tells you whether a property is safe – and protects you whether you’re buying, selling, renting, managing or insuring it.

We work across Sydney, NSW and Australia, with travel built into our quotes for sites further afield.

Last updated: May 2026

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Since 1988, Airsafe has provided fast, expert support for identifying hazardous materials, investigating contaminated sites, and testing indoor air quality. We deliver clear results and practical advice so you can act with confidence.

Your health and safety are always our highest priority.

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