Property owners abandon former meth sites

INDIANAPOLIS, May 10 (UPI) -- Rental properties contaminated by meth production have been left abandoned in Indiana, officials say.

The Indianapolis Star reported Sunday that given the steep cost of toxic cleanup, many property owners opt to abandon meth-contaminated apartments, trailers and houses that they've rented out.

The newspaper said it is difficult to get property owners to shell out the money needed to clean up where meth labs once sat.

State law requires owners to pay for the testing of properties where meth labs are found and, if necessary, for cleanup. The initial tests can cost from $700 to $1,700, the newspaper reported.

Meth labs can leave behind contaminants including iodine and hydrogen chloride, which can be detected for more than a decade.

Chronic exposure to the chemicals can lead to breathing problems, headaches, nausea and fatigue, said Dr. John Martyny, an associate professor of medicine who has studied the health effects of meth lab residue at the National Jewish Medical Center in Denver.