NEWS

December 10, 2010
City employees find meth-making items

Some Fort Madison Parks Department employees received some training at the Iowa State Penitentiary on Thursday to learn what to do if items suspected of being used to make methamphetamine are found in city-owned areas.

There's been two incidents recently where some one-liter pop bottles have been found by city crews and the bottles were suspected pieces of a meth lab operation. Fort Madison Park and Rec Director John Luna said one bottle was found in the creek that runs behind the 2600 block of Avenue L and under the bridge there.

A second bottle was found in a backpack at Willow Patch, the Mississippi River boat ramp access across the street from the Iowa State Penitentiary. Luna said employees were given a talk about what to do and what not to do if these materials are found in the future. Some materials used in making the drug can be very dangerous if handled. "If we find anymore, we're just going to let the authorities handle it," Luna said.

That is good advice for any resident that comes across what looks like litter, but has some key components that could point to it being discarded products from a meth lab.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety website says some of the items used for meth making include plastic tubing, mason jars, propane tanks, empty pill bottles, empty cans of toluene, alcohol or paint thinner, starter fluid, coffee filters with red stains, funnels, rock salt, lithium batteries, hydrogen peroxide and Red Devil Lye or Drano.

The department also warns to never handle materials suspected in meth making because skin contact can result in burns or poisoning. In some cases, some of the chemicals can explode on contact with water or air....

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