top of page

Assessment or screening

​

The first step is to undertake a full screen of your property. This will involve one of our trained science team to take samples and issue a report. This assessment is simply to aid decision making and determine whether a property requires further evaluation.

​

Any contaminations assessment should be delivered in phases so that the initial screening, if showing positive signs of contamination should be followed up by a detailed assessment to establish the extent and magnitude of methamphetamine contamination.

​

The third phase is the development of a decontamination scope of work. This is completed as needed and informs the property owner of decontamination needed and disposal of contaminated material.

​

​

What would you expect from a report?

​

Our screening reports include:

  • The date of the assessment

  • The location of the property

  • the details of the sampler and confirmation that the sampler is independent of any ownership or relation to the property owner

  • Description of the property

  • Method used to collect samples

  • Limitations of sampling ie why some rooms were not sampled

  • Results and conclusion

Site inspection and sampling

​

The purpose of the site inspection phase of a screening assessment is simply to indicate the presence or absence of methamphetamine in the property. Samples are usually c0llected from locations that are most likely to have elevated levels of contamination including:
 

  • Intake ports of forced air heating or cooling systems (heat pumps)

  • Intake points of exhaust fans

  • Stained material or surfaces

  • Adjacent to fuse boxes and power points

  • Timber finished with stain or varnish

  • Areas of high airflow

​

Note that professional judgment and experience will be needed to determine optimum testing sites in a particular property.

​

Samples are taken from every high-use area, however where not all high-use areas are sampled the assessor shall provide reasons for not sampling those areas. Usually where areas are contiguous such as kitchen/dining areas then sampling may be used to determine such connected areas.

​

​

Decontamination recommendations.

​

Decontamination recommendations are to provide input into the design of any decontamination process. They are made after a detailed assessment has identified the magnitude of contamination.

​

Recommendations shall:

​

  • Be included in the detailed assessment report when a surface concentration is greater then the limits set out in NZ Standard 8510:2017 [NOTE THAT PRESENCE OF METHAMPHETAMINE ABOVE THIS LEVEL DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY INDICATE NEED FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMEDIATION]

  • Identify specific areas and materials that require decontamination

  • Be based on evidence and good prectice

  • Be used to guide contamination and cover:
    ​

    • Removal and disposal of soft furnishings such as carpet and curtains

    • Removal and disposal of appliances used for food storage and preparation

    • Removal and disposal of insulating materials

    • Application of cleaning products, resurfacing and/or removal of materials in specific areas such as timber flooring, wall and ceiling linings, window sills and architraves, doors, door frames and concrete floors.

    • Removal and disposal of refuse and contaminated possessions​

​

bottom of page