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New research shows that there is a record number of tenanted properties in New South Wales that are testing positive for meth residue.
Meth Screen, a company that tests homes for meth contamination, has been inspecting properties in NSW since January this year.
It has screened over 340 homes, with 50 per cent of properties testing positive for ice and meth residue.
Penrith, Campbelltown and Wollongong are the state’s meth contamination capitals, according to the figures.
Meth Screen CEO Ryan Matthews said that home owners and tenants traditionally screen rentals for meth residue if they suspect that the previous occupants were using the property to smoke or cook ice.
“You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors or how a property was being used before you and your family moved in,” Mr Matthews said.
Mr Matthews added that given what drives testing, the figures they can see are only a conservative guess and the number is probably a lot higher.
“At least one house in every street is contaminated and potentially uninhabitable,” the CEO said.
Contaminated homes can cause a range of health issues for occupants, which can include headache, burning skin, damage to kidneys and liver, and even birth defects.
In extreme case, many homes require thousands of dollars in renovations to remove contaminated surfaces like carpets, curtains and plaster boards.
Meth Screen has launched a partnership with Smoke Alarm Solutions to allow property managers and owners a way to safeguard properties.
Smoke Alarm Solutions CEO Cameron Davis said that many DIY testing kits give false readings, so they wanted to provide home owners with a safe and secure way to test.
Smoke Alarm Solutions and Meth Screen use trained technicians to inspect a house and test for traces of ice and meth back in a laboratory for analysis.
“We lab-test our samples to ensure accuracy and give buyers, investors, property managers and home owners peace of mind,” Mr Davis said.
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