Written by Charles Van Allen

The manager of a southeastern Kentucky apartment complex requested that The IEP Group perform environmental testing for mold in one of their units. We were happy to oblige as getting to the bottom of mold problems is a specialty of our company. Following environmental sampling and a visual investigation, it was determined that leaking pipes and gaps in the tile shower enclosure had allowed water to infiltrate the wall cavity, which in turn supported the mold growth. Based upon the on-site investigation and the analytical results from sampling, the IEP Group created a work protocol for the remediation of the mold. The client was able to give to this protocol to their contractor to be followed during the remediation phase. And that was that. Or was it? What made this particular project interesting is that some of the health complaints communicated by the tenant (which had prompted the Initial Mold Investigation in the first place) seemed to go beyond a reaction to mold. The IEP Group made a recommendation that sampling for methamphetamine be performed in the unit, which the client gave us the green light on to proceed. As it turns out, the HVAC main supply trunk line tested positive for methamphetamine. Chemicals used in the manufacturing of this illicit drug as well as the by-products of its production (5- 7 lbs. of toxic waste for every 1 lb. of meth produced) are an extreme health hazard. We were very pleased to assist our client in solving a problem they didn’t know they had and to do our part in restoring this apartment to a more healthful condition for the people living in it.