Drug-laboratory house may have walls replaced

A Napier house used as a clandestine laboratory to manufacture pure methamphetamine, or P, was so full of poison that even the walls and the flooring may need to be replaced, experts say.

The owner, Housing New Zealand, would not comment on the cost of the clean-up because a full assessment has yet to be made. But police and cleaning staff who had been in the Tamatea house believed the price tag would be "substantial".

Chemical experts from Environmental Science and Research went through the house after a police raid last Wednesday. They found the kitchen and lounge had been used to cook chemicals to manufacture P.

Napier City Council chief inspector Dave Fellowes said yesterday the chemicals were carcinogenic and easily contaminated any absorbent material. The council had declared the site a hazardous substance area.

A cleaning order was served on Housing New Zealand, which it was understood would use specialist assessors and cleaners.

Walls, floorboards and fittings would be scraped for samples which would be tested for toxicity.

- NZPA